The Dawn of Serenity: Second Edition
by Jessica Pendragon
Summary: The Sailor Senshi have seen their future, but when the time comes a familiar evil returns to conquer the world. Instead of utopia, the Earth is ruled by a dark queen. Yet hope remains. The slaves whisper of ancient warriors and a place of light and freedom - Serenitas. And when one young woman with golden hair and an unforgettable face is captured, everything changes.
1. Chapter 1

**This is a revision of an already existing, complete story. The original is available on this site, but I would not recommend switching back and forth between them as I've altered many things. I've always been proud of The Dawn of Serenity, but it needed some TLC after all these years. Enjoy!**

"It is destiny."

"No, it is choice. Destiny chose us and brought us here. Destiny gave us our ancient powers. But it was always up to us to decide what to do with them. It was our choice to continue on the path of a soldier. Now, on the dawn of a new era, Destiny is calling out to us again, and we must make our decision."

_When the time comes, will you be ready?_

"I cannot decide your fates. Your lives are your own and I want you to be happy, my friends..."

"Ami-chan, Mako-chan, Rei-chan, Minako-chan..."

The simple broom swept the simple steps as it had countless times before. The rhythmic sound of the scratching bristles muted to her ears from years of labor. She only ever heard the calming sounds of the birds chirping or retreated into the silence of her own mind. So many actions in this place were simple in their task, performed by countless others before her in a ritual dance. She took comfort in their traditions, in a past placid and clearly defined. It was nothing like the life she led outside the wooden gate of her home.

"I'm just saying we could've gone later. I was having the best dream about that new guy at the tanning salon!" Like an arrow interrupts the still air, the disrupted voice split the calm. For a moment, Rei's eyes flashed with a dark tempest of annoyance. She turned, her clothes swishing beneath her, to find three of her friends ascending the steps of the shrine.

"We wanted to beat the afternoon crowds so we won't have to rush tonight and tomorrow, Minako-chan. We want tomorrow to be perfect for her, don't we?" The words were prim and proper, even after years of influence from the now exuberant blonde beside her.

"Yeah, you're right Ami-chan. Hey Rei-chan, are you going to go to the mall in your robes?"

"Of course not Minako-chan, I just thought I'd get some things done before you showed up."

"Good, you'd be stealing all the attention with that get up." A collective sigh rolled across the group at the woman with a ribbon in her hair.

"Who turned on Minako-chan's ridiculous button today?" Makoto jested.

"Sorry, I'm just really excited. It is a big day, after all."

"Yes, it is," Ami reflected. Their smiling faces became as serious as the stone beneath their feet. For years, they had found this place of stillness unaltered, but it could no longer say the same about them. The gentle waves of change had surged upon them, pushing each into taller and stronger forms, filling them with experience and maturity. Now, at the precipice of the future, they felt the pull of the undertow the most.

"It's really coming, isn't it?"

"Yeah it is, Mako-chan, but we will be ready." Minako's cheerful voice became stronger. "We've faced many obstacles, but together we've beat them."

"Yes, and she has never let us down," Ami pitched in.

"Then we cannot let her down now, she believes in us. We will be ready." They nodded at Rei's words.

"What do you think will happen?"

"I guess we'll see."

_What will you decide?_

"Haruka-san, Michiru-san, Hotaru-chan, Setsuna-san..."

The waves lapped lazily upon the shore, their movement like a dark blanket kicked around by a fitful dreamer. The slosh of the water was accompanied by a low melody floating on the waves like a haunted ship. The sand was warm beneath them, their toes dug as far as they would go. The youngest watched the calm waves while the eldest stared up into the blurry, city stars with her magenta eyes. Another watched as her partner's fingers moved across the strings, taking in every movement the blue-eyed woman made.

"Why such a melancholy tune, Michiru?" Haruka questioned. Michiru let the song fade out and put the violin to rest at her side.

"I don't know. It is the voice of the sea tonight."

"Hmm." Haruka nodded. "It is the heartbeat of the wind, too."

"Something stirs," Hotaru's quiet voice added.

"Do you think we will be ready?" Michiru asked.

"Yes," after a moment Haruka answered. "The Senshi have never failed before, especially the princess. It will be challenging I am sure, but I believe in them and I believe in us."

Michiru chuckled. "How you have changed. Where once only duty stood, belief now reigns."  
>"It is because of her, our little princess. She has changed us all and we will help her as much as we can. We will be ready."<p>

"Yes, we will to do what we must," echoed Michiru

"But where do we fit in?" The young teenager asked. Hotaru's mauve eyes never left the surf as it tumbled continuously. "Chibi-Usa...she never knew who I was before she came back through time. The only one she knew was you, Setsuna-mama." They became quiet, as the smallest voice of them all echoed the concern thumping within their hearts the loudest.

"Maybe we are not needed in the future anymore," Haruka guessed. "It is supposed to be a time of peace. Our destinies have never been the same as theirs."

"But how could we decide not to help, after all that's happened?" Hotaru frowned. "Setsuna-mama, what happens to us?"

The mysterious warrior sighed, closing her dark orbs. "You will see."

_Will you be strong enough to accept?_

"My love...Mamo-chan..."

His feline feet padded silently over the skyline, the city surprisingly still beneath him. His rounds had been quiet as well and let him dwell upon what lay ahead. With one final leap, Artemis descended upon his destination and cuddled close to her black fur in greeting.

"How is everything?" Luna asked, her bright eyes staring at him in the darkness.

"Peaceful. Anything to report?"

"No, the whole world seems to be tranquil tonight. I went to visit Ami, but she was busy with papers to grade. I figured I would leave Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san alone tonight," she replied, flicking her tail back and worth lazily.

"Mina wishes for some privacy and rest, too," he sighed.

"They deserve some, all of them."

"And what of us, Luna? We have had to deal with hormone-induced soldiers for the past eight years," he snorted.

She laughed, wrapping her black tail around his. "Indeed, none more so than Usagi-chan. But she is, and always will be, worth it."

"Do you think the queen meant for it to be like this?"

"I don't know, Artemis. I know she only meant for the best." They became silent, gazing up at the stars above the hue of the city lights. "It will be a full moon tomorrow."

"Do you think they are ready?"

"All we ever have to do is believe. We must always believe."

They noticed a figure leap into view below them, a dark cape trailing behind him. A man in a full tuxedo and top hat leaping from building to building would seem ludicrous anywhere else, but this city was used to seeing the bizarre and abnormal. As he slowly approached the railing, his disguise melted away and he was easily recognized.

"What's Mamoru-san doing out so late?"

"Yes, let's go see."

Mamoru's eyes gazed over the skyline, its grandeur amplified by how high Tokyo Tower stretched, but it all became an unfocused haze as his thoughts narrowed upon something more. He had been watching her sleeping, holding her close into the waxing night. The lights from outside, bright enough to illuminate their bed and her sleeping form, silhouetted his whole past and future caught in her Elysian dreams. However, his mind began to ponder upon subjects as dark and foreign as the night itself, and the cozy room became a stifling prison.

He didn't deserve her. The others were strong, powerful, worthy of her protection and love. He had never been anything more but a dramatic distraction to the enemy in battle, a quick push to safety. In every dire situation he had failed her, fading out of existence only to be a painful memory for her. Sometimes an enemy. How could he possibly be strong enough to stand beside her and face what was to come?

"Mamoru-san?" Surprised by another's voice, he gazed down at the two felines, concern in their human-like eyes.

"Artemis, Luna, what are you doing here?"

"We should be asking you that question. Why are you not with Usagi-chan?"

The noble prince sighed, dropping his eyes to his clasped hands. The glowing lights of the city were sufficient to cast a shimmer upon the simple band wrapped around his finger. "Why I am with her, is perhaps the better question."

"Mamoru-san!"

"I love her, I will always love her and I have tried my best to protect her. But I am not strong enough to be there for her like the others. The only thing I am good at is dying and I have gladly done it for her in the past. I will continue to, if I must. I just don't know… I don't know if I'm ready."

"Oh, Mamoru-san." Luna jumped on the railing. She reached out, gently rubbing her head against his hand in comfort. "You were never meant to guard Usagi-chan or to save her from the evil forces of this world. You were meant to love her, to save her heart from loneliness and to give her words of hope when every power she has becomes useless. She needs you, even more than she needs the Senshi."

"Will that be enough to save her from what is going to happen?"

"It always has. Don't you see?"

_Will I be everything that I am supposed to be?_

"I'm Tsukino Usagi. I'm 14 years old and in eighth grade.  
>My hobbies are eating, sleeping, and relaxing.<br>I'm an ordinary cute girl who's kind of a crybaby.  
>Or at least, I was supposed to be."+<p>

She could not sleep tonight. The loss of his intimate touch had awoken her and the empty bed and whispers of fears would not let sleep come once more. She did not blame him for disappearing, for she could feel it in the air around her, the cool morning breeze bringing memories and visions with it. She could feel it from the others as well, her consciousness and concern spreading farther than herself. Tonight she felt in touch with the whole universe and it pulled her outside to their small balcony.

She had fought so long. All she ever wanted was to be happy, peaceful. Normal. Now she could barely remember what was normal and even if it existed. She began to rewind the story of her life, analyzing every inch of it she could remember. All her thoughts only led to questions, however. Was she truly destined for this role? Had some greater power been wrong about their choice? She was an ancient princess. But how much of that life could she remember now? How could something so long gone influence what was to come?

She wanted nothing more than peace. For herself, for the world, but mostly for her Senshi. Her fight had never been alone. Without them, she would never have fought so hard nor found the courage to withstand all the evil around her. They deserved tranquility just as much as she did. Fate had stolen it away long ago.

Something was coming, just hiding beyond the horizon. It would decide all their destinies and she knew she would have to make a decision- the most important one of her whole existence perhaps. She was supposed to lead the world to a new era, but such a task could not, and should not, be done with half a heart. Could she possibly be what she needed to be?

Her thoughts vanished as light poured slowly over the horizon, the sun emerging from its slumber. With it, her dreams of the past faded like the night and the new light brought change to her blue eyes. She drew her legs to her chest, holding herself close against the new day.

"Happy birthday, Usagi."

I'm Chiba-Tsukino Usagi. I'm now 22 years old, and married to the man of my dreams. My hobbies are eating, meeting friends and fighting for love and justice. I was an ordinary girl who became a soldier, and soon I will be a queen.

Or at least, I am supposed to be.

_The Dawn of Serenity_

"I made a choice long ago and I will pay accordingly for the consequences."

Author's Notes:

**This is a revision of the original Dawn of Serenity novel first began in 2006**. The original has been completed for some time. I am incredibly proud of it, but there are things I wanted to change now after some reflection. The overall plot is unaltered, but I have added new scenes, deleted some, changed a few key moments and cleaned up the text.

So for those that have already read Dawn of Serenity, I hope you enjoy it as much as the original and have fun hunting for new scenes. **For those of you who are new**, welcome and happy reading!

Some Manga facts that are important to this story you might not know:  
>-Usagi becomes Neo-Queen Serenity at age 22.<br>-The Black Moon crisis takes place in 30th century Crystal Tokyo, but no one knows what happens in the years between.  
>-Galaxia mentions she overheard a 'mysterious, cloaked figure' talk about the Galazxy Cauldron. This figure could possibly have been Death Phantom.<br>-At the end of her battle with Queen Beryl, Usagi had the option to restore the Silver Millennium but chose to live in the present instead.  
>-The Black Moon Clan sisters (Ayakashi sisters) are not purified. They are killed by their respectful Senshi.<p>

It should be noted that I do not in any way own Sailor Moon, but thank Naoko Takeuchi for creating this great manga and letting us play with it. In this fan fiction there are also quotes from Alex Glover's translation of the Manga, which are represented by * throughout the whole epic and are usually italicized at the beginning of some chapters.


	2. Chapter 2

**Pandora Arc**

A single light shone through the dark of the apartment. It illuminated the remains of a pink frosted cake and a mess of unwanted, dirty dishes. A mere hour ago the apartment had been buzzing with music and laughter with the smell of wished upon smoke spreading throughout their cozy home. Left over napkins fluttered with a slight breeze, pushed over like the pages of an open book. The simple curtains that hugged the balcony's doors joined the slow dance, embracing the cool night air and gave fleeting glimpses at the vision beyond.

She ran a hand over her smooth skin. Pale and youthful, it gleamed in the light of the full moon. Outside upon their small space the city lights fought for dominance, but the moon was not to be out done this night.

"It shines so bright for you, you know…its princess." Warm arms encircled her shoulders, his calming scent filling her lungs. "It knows it's your special day."

"It is beautiful." The words came from in a bated whisper.

"You were beautiful tonight." He closed his eyes, remembering the way the candles cast her golden hair ablaze in the dim light. "Of course, you're always beautiful."

She giggled quietly. "Mamo-chan..."

"Did you get everything you wanted?"

"Yeah, although I don't think we needed another toaster," she said, crinkling up her noise like the animal she was named after.

"Well, your mom knows how you go through appliances. Or rather how you explode your way through them."

At his laughter, she huffed. "I've gotten a lot better!"

"I know and I'm proud of you. Happy birthday Usako," he whispered in her ear, reveling in the softness of her hair. The sounds of the concrete jungle below drifted up to them, filling the silence with the artificial life that had become so familiar. But something about the way she rested against him, stiff as the pavement below, immediately grabbed his attention. He watched her fiddle with her wedding ring, twirling it around her slim finger in slow rotations. "What's wrong? Birthday blues?"

"Everything's so perfect."

"And that's something to pout about?" he chuckled, trying to hide his uneasiness. He had a feeling, deep down, that he knew what plagued her thoughts, for it was the same thought echoing in his mind.

"Aren't you afraid, Mamo-chan? The others hid it well tonight, but I could see."

"Usa..."

"The time has come and something is going to happen." She looked up to the moon, the bright silver orb filling her cerulean eyes. "I can feel it."

His concerns from the night before flooded back into his mind, but he would never let her see. "And can you feel this?" His strong hand caressed her hair, his hands trailing over her smooth shoulders. His lips stopped whispering into her ear, slipping away to brush against her cheek, leaving a soft trail to the corner of her mouth. "And that?"

"Yeah." She shivered slightly and he smirked in success. Gently he slipped his hand into hers and pulled her into the apartment.

"I have something to show you."

"What, Mamo-chan?"

"It's a surprise." She laughed and he covered her eyes as he led her into the bedroom.

"Okay."

The newlywed couple had fought eagerly over their sleeping quarters. Mamoru mostly pleaded to keep the pink lampshades and bunny bed sheet out of their apartment. Somehow, the yin and yang couple managed to find a balance, settling on a colorful comforter and golden accessories with dark, masculine wood for his tastes. Pop star posters were replaced by family pictures and sprawling portraits of faraway places. However, something out of the ordinary had caught the breath in the young bride's throat when his hands fell away.

A swarm of red rose petals was strewn across the cozy room, littering the bed and floor like fallen leaves in autumn. Soft, golden candles were lit, bathing the room in a romantic glow. His charm would not stop there, however. He exhaled softly, but the effect was much different than a simple sigh. A gust of wind stormed through the room and the petals began to dance in the air, forming a delicate vortex before them. She gasped at this, reaching out a hand to have it attacked by soft kisses of silk.

Without fear she entered the swirling wonder, twirling around in her red cocktail dress. He watched her dance with a small smile, leaning against the threshold. The days had been long that had led them here. Tragic battles and evil plots, separation and heartbreak, blood, sweat and tears, all had left their mark on them. At moments like these however, as she stopped and gazed at him in the midst of the rouge wind, everything faded away, even the doubts fresh in his mind. Slowly he approached her and rested his hand against her cheek.

"I know you're afraid of what is to come. I am too. But we're in this together, always, just as it's always been. Whatever comes, you won't face it alone."

"You promise?"

He grinned as the child still lurking within her pouted, her bright eyes glossing over. "I promise. I love you, Usako."

"I love you too, Mamo-chan."

He kissed her softly and she sighed at this waking dream. Their hands danced about each other, taking in everything they could from the intimate contact. The petals circling around the room fell as they dropped to the comforting sheets, the world around them forgotten. With one final gust of wind, the candles snuffed out, and a muffled giggle echoed in the dark.

.

The sunrise brought nothing more than the start of a new day. Traffic merged as it always had, ushering the river of workers to their steady jobs. Children embraced the warm sunshine, taking advantage of their mother's patience, while teenagers found their ways to the parks and malls and those places where teenagers are not supposed to go.

Makoto ran through the early afternoon air, her pigtail flopping with every long stride she took. She had barely slept last night. After Usagi's party she had plopped down on the couch with a bag of chocolate chips and indulged herself in classic black and white movies. Now she had to laugh at herself. She thought the world was going to end last night, that today they would be fighting and raging against evil once more. She knew the others had been thinking the same way.

She stopped her jog nearby an abandoned bench and used it to stretch out her muscles. The senshi of lightning then noticed a woman resting against the trunk of the tree before her, her legs hidden beneath a blue skirt. A book was perched in her lap, but her eyes seemed to gaze through the words, lost deep in their meaning somewhere. Makoto smiled and silently walked towards her oblivious friend.

"Good afternoon."

Ami's eyes shot up and she let out a sigh of relief. "Mako-chan, you scared me."

"Sorry, Ami-chan. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I just needed to get out of the house. Would you like to sit with me?"

"Sure thing."

They watched as the late morning welcomed more people into the park, their idle chatter swarming around them. They could hear the beginnings of a baseball game somewhere behind them as the sound of a metal bat echoed through the trees.

"I was expecting…well, I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't a normal day," Makoto said and hoped Ami agreed.

"I must admit, I was also expecting something to occur. We were told Usagi-chan would become queen and give birth to Chibiusa-chan after she ascends, but it might have been foolish on our part to assume it would all happen at midnight."

"Well, definitely the giving birth part may have been a little extreme," Makoto joked and they shared a laugh. "She must be born next year on their shared birthday then. Can I ask you a question, Ami-chan?"

"Of course."

"Do you ever think about what would've happened to us if we never became soldiers?"

The blue-haired maiden sighed. "I try not to."

"Why?"

"There is no point, really. We cannot change the past."

"Yes, we can." They fell silent, knowing it was true. The time gate that had shown them their alternate future swung both ways. People in the future had tried to change their past already. Why couldn't they do the same?

"If we went all the way back and stopped the Silver Millennium from falling, how do we know something worse wouldn't have happened? Or change anything from our past here, in this life? Maybe this is where we're supposed to be. And if that is the case, would you really want to go back, Mako-chan? Destroy everything we've worked so hard to achieve? Change what she's done for us? "

"No, I was always just running before I met her…always running away."

Ami took her hand and the two women smiled at each other. "We were given a chance to find each other again, to be happy. And even after all that's happened I am happy. I don't know if we can alter the future to come but at least we'll face it together, right?"

"Yes, no more running."

.

Minako fought to remain asleep, but the city's symphony spilled in through her window and she reluctantly opened her blue eyes. With an annoyed sigh, she flung the white satin sheet off and viewed the empty side of the bed. The bed was wrinkled where he had slept and his scent lingered upon the pillow. She smiled sadly, reaching out to caress the smooth fabric.

A sing song bell rang out and quickly she shot out of bed to answer. She grabbed the ivory sheet and it trailed behind her like a ballroom gown as she made her way to the door. As she opened it, bright blue met dark seas and Minako smiled.

"Good morning, Rei-chan."

The priestess scanned her friend's lack of attire and blushed. "Good afternoon, Minako-chan," she corrected. "He's still here?"

Minako waved her in. "Oh no, come on in. What's up?"

"Who was it?" Rei asked as they sat down.

"Oh, the guy from the tanning salon," was Minako's sly response as she fished through the fridge. She resurfaced with some juice and poured two glasses before heading toward the leather couches.

"When are you going to see him again?"

"Oh, I don't know," Minako shrugged, bringing her knees to her chest.

"But don't you like him?"

"Obviously," Minako said, shuffling her feet beneath the satin sheets. Rei's cheeks flamed again and she rolled bemused eyes at her flirty friend. Minako then became serious quickly, as she often did, and sipped her juice. "But it's never as simple as that, not since..."

"I'm sorry, don't think about him. I'm sure you had a better night than the rest of us at any rate." They giggled and for a few moments sat in silence sipping casually at their drinks. Rei was the only one, besides Artemis, that knew Minako's complete story about her time spent as Sailor V. The others knew the general information, but there was much more Minako had been so proud of pushing all behind her. But one night the secrets became too much and Rei had been the only one there. She would never forgive herself for her loose tongue, but secretly she was glad to get that burden off her chest, even if she wouldn't admit it to even herself.

"Can I ask you a question, Rei-chan?"

"Sure."

"Do you ever wonder what our lives would've been like if we had restored the Silver Millennium?"

"Of course."

"Do you ever wonder what we were like? What we did? If we have always been the same as we are now?"

Rei shook her head. "One life is enough to deal with."

"I know." Minako sighed. "I just-I don't remember everything, but I remember enough to make me wonder and sometimes wish that we could remember it all. I don't know if I could've made the decision."

"She made the choice for us, and we must believe it was the right one," Rei said and then added with a smirk, "even if it is Usagi."

.

Mamoru walked the busy streets of Tokyo as the sun shone down unabated by any lingering clouds. The beautiful day had drawn many workers from their buildings to sit and eat outside. He found the selection in the vending machine less than tempting himself and quickly switched out of his scrubs.

He found an open table outside and ordered a quick sandwich. He needed some time to think, some time to breathe away from his duties. All of them. With a cool glass in hand he absentmindedly watched the crowds, getting lost in the sea of endless faces. Soon they would look to him and his powerful queen, soon they would be led into a new world. But how soon, and to what extent? Unexpectedly, he spotted a familiar face in the crowd and felt the urge not to be alone anymore.

"Hey, Setsuna-san!" The crimson eyes flashed in his direction and her high-heeled feet stopped in mid-step. She stared at her future king with a hesitant expression until he smiled and waved her over. "Hello, Setsuna-san."

"Good afternoon, Mamoru-san."

"Where are you off to?"

"Just back home. I had a short day in the lab."

"Care to join me for a little bit then?"

"Join you, well I-All right." Setsuna looked flustered before leveling her face once more with a placid smile. She sat down like at any moment this might be a ruse and Mamoru watched as the wind from passing cars played with her long hair. It wasn't like her to be so ruffled or surprised – Mamoru didn't think she could ever be surprised.

"How are you today?" he asked.

"I am well, thank you for asking. We had a wonderful time at Usagi's party."

"Yes, it was good to see everyone," Mamoru responded and fretted as they lapsed into a silence. He was normally very good at small talk, considering his employment, but it was different talking to a complete stranger than someone you barely knew, but had known for centuries. Yet there was something he had wanted to discuss the guardian of time and hadn't found the courage.

"Can I ask you a question?" Mamoru blurted out.

"Of course, but if it's about the imminent or far flung future I would rather you didn't," she replied pleasantly enough, but Mamoru could hear a hint of irritation in her voice.

Mamoru had the courtesy to look chagrined for his thoughts were indeed travelling the line to the future. "Did you just read my mind?"

She looked at him strangely after that comment, as if she wanted to admit something but couldn't decide where to start. Instead, she only gave him a small grin.

"I'm sorry. I'm sure you've been bombarded with questions," Mamoru apologized. "It has nothing to do with the timeline, but it's more of a personal nature."

"Well, that's something new. Ask your question then," she acquiesced.

"We are friends, right? In the future? I don't really have a close relationship with any of the Senshi, but the way King Endymion and the future Sailor Pluto spoke to each other and about each other made me think…"

Her eyes shifted away and peered at the unfocused silhouettes of cars flashing by. He watched her absentmindedly tap long fingers against the checkered table cloth. Setsuna was always so quiet and reserved, so much more mature than any of the Senshi. She wasn't known for nervous habits, which made him wonder what she was thinking at this moment.

"Yes, we are friends in the future," Setsuna admitted.

"I couldn't understand it back then, when we first went through time. I didn't understand how we would come to be close, but now I do."

Setsuna turned back, uncertainty in her garnet glance. "How so?"

"We are both of solitude. Before all this, I only had one friend in the whole world. I kept everything inside and I thought that being alone was the only way. But the truth is we're not alone and we never really wanted to be in the first place. We were only waiting for someone to reach out to us. Usagi rescued us."

"It was not only Usagi who rescued me," Setsuna whispered to herself.

"What?"

"Can I ask you something now, Mamoru-san?"

"Sure, I think that's fair. And please, it's just Mamoru."

"Would you do anything to ensure that the princess was happy?"

"Yes," he answered without thinking.

"Even, if for a moment in time, it made her unhappy?"

"If, in the long run I could make her life better, then yes. What is this about?"

The mysterious Senshi sighed, making the gesture both elegant and melancholy. "Just remember, Mamoru-san, the future is not stagnant. It is why I cannot completely answer any of yours, or the Senshi's, questions about what will come. It may happen differently this time and I would only confuse the timeline. Time flows and ebbs like the rivers. The end might be the same in some way, but the paths we take can change."

Mamoru wanted to ask her what she meant, but knew it would be pointless and neglect her previous wishes. The way she looked at him now, however, made him want to console her as well as shake her for answers.

"I…I want her to be happy too, Mamoru-san. I truly do," she revealed with eyes filled with more emotion than she had ever shown him. Without thinking, Mamoru reached across the table and took one of her manicured hands, startling a gasp from her prim lips.

He grinned at her, open to the friendship he already felt growing within them. "I trust you, Setsuna."

She returned his expression with a smile rarely seen, but one that made her as beautiful as Usagi. He had only ever seen her look so happy with Chibi-Usa before. "I hope I continue to earn that trust."

.

The door to the two-bedroom apartment swung open to usher in the man of the house. Habit led him to toss his jingling keys on the table and remove his shoes, and experience led him to brace himself for the oncoming attack. Usagi usually appeared to bombard him or her robust voice echoed his name through the small apartment excitedly. The world was still today, however.

"Usako?" he called with confusion, noticing her purse on the couch. His feet padded quietly across the floor, his eyes scanning first the kitchen and then the bathroom. The door to the guest room was left open and dark. He came to a stop and gazed at the last closed door before him. "Usagi?"

Mamoru opened the door to their bedroom and found the object of his affections cross-legged upon the bed. A multitude of picture-laden books placed around her, spread open to reveal happy sunny days caught forever in a moment and pictures of family and friends. She viewed them with an enraptured expression and looked like she had never gotten out of bed. Her hair was undone, falling about the bed in sinuous rivers and his dress shirt draped over her delicate frame.

"Didn't you hear me call you?"

"All these memories..."

"Usako?" Reaching out he grasped her chin, pulling her eyes to his. He had seen this look before on the families of his patients as they waited for news. It was a sad, reflective expression as they prayed for things to be all right and reminisced about those times past when they were fine. "What's wrong?" He watched as her eyes became glossy and felt the jerk as she moved out of his reach.

"Everything is going to change and this," she motioned to the photo albums, "this will be a fantasy. At least being Sailor Moon I could disappear back into my normal life, but now…now I will be her all the time, and there's no dark alley I can de-transform in anymore. Oh Mamo-chan!"

In an instant, she buried her face into his chest and he unconsciously wrapped his arms around her. He closed his eyes to collect himself and pressed his face into her silken hair as he fought to find comforting words. But what could he say to this, the same question that resounded through his own mind? In the end, he allowed his embrace to suffice.

"I don't want to let them down either. If I quit now, does that mean everything we went through was pointless? I want to protect everyone but I, I just want to be myself too. I don't know if I can make this decision," she revealed.

"It wouldn't be pointless and you could never let us down, Usa. It's not possible. When the time comes to make a decision, you will be ready."

"But I'm not ready! I'm not sure I'm ready to let go of our life, Mamo-chan. I'm so happy now and so is everyone else. I'm definitely not ready to be a ruler. I don't know the difference between a republic and a democracy. I'm not even really sure what we are anyways."

"It took some time for you to grow as Sailor Moon and I seriously doubt you would learn to become a queen overnight. But the future is proof that you will excel at it. And we're a constitutional monarchy."

"See! I'm hopeless!" Usagi wailed. "And she, she was perfect. I felt her during the Black Moon crisis. It was me, but it wasn't me."

"Of course it was you, Usako. You're unique penmanship showed that," he laughed, trying to free her smile once more.

"No, Mamo-chan." She looked directly into his eyes, a dark light in them he was not used to seeing. "There was something else. She was something more. You felt it too, didn't you? With him?"

The earnestness in her eyes caught him off guard and he stumbled upon an answer. "Well, I..."

She returned to her pictures, running a hand over them with reverence. "How can we become who we were meant to be if we cannot remember who we were, either?"

"I don't understand?"

"I remember bits and pieces from then. Sometimes, if I concentrate real hard, I can remember whole conversations and places. But our pasts remain locked away somewhere. Princess Serenity is a mystery to me too. But they, she, him, all of them, they are us! Don't you ever wonder how we first met, Mamo-chan? For the very, very first time? Don't you wonder what it was like?"

With a sigh, he finally sat down on the bed, picking up a few scattered photographs. "Of course I do. I think about what my parents were like and I have thought about what the Shitennou were like before everything changed. There's enough there to remember who they were, but it's like looking at one part of a picture. But Usako, we don't need them anymore. We have now, and all these memories that I know we will never forget."

"So, even if you could, you would never want to remember our past?"

"I don't know. I worry how it will change us. Besides, what has the past to do with the present, or our future anymore? All this jumping around in time is crazy, Usako, you need to calm down."

"I know, I'm just-"

He smiled reassuringly, reaching out to catch her hand. "I know. We will be with you Usako, and I will be beside you, all the way."

Usagi beamed up at him with her usual watts of energy and he inwardly sighed in relief. She grabbed him around the neck, squeezing with enthusiasm. "Oh Mamo-chan, I know we'll always be together. And soon, it won't just be us! When do you think we'll know?"

Mamoru had thought of their daughter every day since he watched her return to the future years ago. The idea of Chibi-Usa being in their present life always seemed like a distant dream, but the year of her birth was finally here. Sometimes he worried that something would go wrong, that somehow the timeline had been disrupted, but mostly excitement for her birth took hold within his heart.

"I'm thinking nine months until your birthday next year. That's how it usually works. Unless former Moon princesses have some really weird birthing process."

She stuck her tongue out at him, a retort ready to barrel its way to the surface. Mamoru brought her down into the covers before she could retaliate, cuddling close and happy to have his wife back to her bubbly self.

.

The pages of the book began to blur. The day had been long and his strength was beginning to wane. With a sigh, he closed the book and placed his glasses upon it. He focused upon the sweet head crowned in a corona of gold in his lap. Blonde hair pooled over the couch and his dark slacks, shining in the light of the television. Usagi had fallen asleep watching it and his leg had fallen asleep long ago as well. Mamoru gazed at her parted lips and felt every breath that passed through them.

His thoughts traveled back to his mysterious conversation with Setsuna and the things Usagi had revealed to him a few hours ago. What could have Setsuna been talking about, he wondered? Usagi's concerns tonight furthered his theories about the timekeeper's cryptic words. Perhaps Crystal Tokyo was not going to happen in this time frame and perhaps Usagi's true wishes finally honored. It would make sense, as Setsuna had said something about Usagi being happy. That was what his wife wished for the most. Happy and normal.

"Breaking news just in." The dramatic music and enthusiasm in the newscaster's voice brought his eyes to the television screen. "History has been made in only the last few hours. Scientists at the U.S. National Observatory at Kitt Peak have stumbled upon the greatest astronomical find for this system in a decade."

As the blurry image flashed upon the screen every part of him tensed as the blood began to rush to his head. Images from the past, present, and future stormed across his memory, every sensation burning within. His theories engulfed in flames, disintegrating like ash before him.

"Scientists were surprised by its sudden appearance and think it may have an irregular and large orbit that finally let it pass into our view this month. They are not sure what to make of it yet and have not released an official name, but all that they know will be revealed during the press conference tomorrow. Even though Pluto has been demoted to a dwarf planet, scientists are calling this new discovery the tenth planet. How exciting for astronomers, professional and amateur, everywhere."

The name escaped his mouth like a curse. "Nemesis."


	3. Chapter 3

The inner senshi met at the shrine, all save for one.

"Does she know?"

"No I intercepted your call, Ami-chan. I couldn't let her hear it. Not yet," Mamoru announced, holding up his wife's communicator.

"So, you think this is it then, Mamoru-san?" asked Minako.

"I don't know. We never knew what led to everything," he answered.

"I wish they had told us," Makoto mused.

"We all know they couldn't because it would likely have jeopardized the path of time. They should have kept their complete silence regarding the future. I suppose its influence upon our decisions now is a moot point," Ami reminded them. "Luna, anything from your end?"

"No," the feline shook her head. "Things are quiet."

"What about you, Rei-chan?" Mamoru asked.

The priestess slowly blinked, her long black hair swaying against her back as she shook her head. "There is nothing I am able to see. If there is anything lurking on Nemesis, if _they_ are there, it is hidden from my sight."

"Has anyone contacted the Outers?" Artemis asked.

"No, they always come when there's real serious trouble around. Hey maybe nothing's going to happen!" Minako smiled, bouncing on her crossed knees.

"Maybe not now, but something will. I hate waiting around like this, I feel so helpless." Makoto impulsively cracked her knuckles.

"Well, let's think about what we do know," Luna suggested. "We know Neo-Queen Serenity banished the Death Phantom from Crystal Tokyo and to Nemesis. He then came back in secret to the Earth and grew dissention in the city. Those that followed him were the Black Moon Clan, and they were all sent to Nemesis after a skirmish."

"This could be it. Something has to happen to create Crystal Tokyo and the Death Phantom could have been the beginning of it all," Artemis said.

A sense of dread had taken hold of them with the idea. They had expected something to happen on Usagi's birthday and when it didn't a false sense of security had taken over. Even Mamoru had been willing to believe everything would be normal. Usagi was the only one who realized the truth.

Suddenly, Rei's dark eyes shot wide open, urging the miko to her feet. "We need to find Usagi-chan."

"I know, Rei-chan," Mamoru answered. "She needs to know-"

"No, I, I feel-Something is here, on this planet, not on Nemesis. Where is she?"

.

The arcade buzzed with electronic sounds and the subdued tunes of the old-fashioned jukebox. Children and couples sipped upon thick milkshakes as an excited group of teenagers played the latest Sailor V game. In a corner booth she sat, her legs moving nervously beneath the glossy red table.

"Well, this was surprising," said Usagi's mother as she sat across the table with her husband.

"Yes, being treated by our daughter for once," Kenji concurred.

"I'm sure Mamoru-san is paying for it."

"Shut up, Shingo." Usagi relaxed enough to stick out her tongue at her younger brother sitting beside her.

Kenji shook his head. "Well, at least she looks like she's grown up."

"Oh, you looked so beautiful Friday," Ikuko beamed with pride.

Usagi smiled genuinely, finding a little relief in her mother's grin. "Thank you."

"Yeah, maybe they should name the new planet after you, fatzoid."

"Shingo you're still such a little monste - wait, what's that about a new planet?"

"And you're still so clueless, Usagi. They discovered a new planet yesterday," Shingo informed her while his eyes remained intent on his phone.

"Will you stop sending those things, we're eating."

"They're _text messages_, Mom." As they argued, they were unaware of the swift breaths the blonde across the table took or the startled look in her eyes.

"It can't be," she whispered to herself.

"Usagi, what's wrong? You're as white as a ghost!"

"Honey?"

"What's your problem, Sis?"

"I have to tell you guys something. Something you won't understand, or probably believe." She took a deep breath and looked around to make sure no one was near. "I-"

Without warning, the world shattered around them as pieces of glittering glass exploded into the arcade. The crash of a chair flying through the window loomed over them and they covered themselves to avoid the jagged pieces.

"Get down!" Kenji yelled, pulling his family under the table. Usagi continued to watch and gasped at the sight that met her eyes outside. People were rampantly storming the streets, shattering storefronts and wrecking cars. Their faces were full of rage and malice. A dark shadow was following behind them, eating up the buildings as a sundial envelops time. Above all the noise and movement, she could feel the dark energy buzzing.

"Help me!" Shouts came from outside and Usagi turned her eyes to a captured woman on the other side of the street. A man approached her, a sharp piece of glass in his hand.

"No!" Usagi bolted through the broken window, the screams of her family following in her wake. She wove her way through the crowd, running faster than they could catch her. When she reached the crazed man she kicked the glass from his hand, pushing him with all her might away from the woman.

"Hurry, go inside!" she urged.

"Thank you!"

"Usagi!" She turned on her heels and her eyes grew large with fear. At that moment, the dark shadow finally decided to show itself. _He_floated on a cloud of dark energy, his face covered by a long, black hooded cloak. The energy around him radiated out like riving tentacles with the deepest of the ocean's murky depths wrapped around them. As these appendages touched the frightened people attempting to outrun him, they either fell instantly to the ground or were driven mad. The sight of this enemy frightened her more than just about anything else she could think of, for she knew what he would bring.

"Usagi!"

She turned to her family on the sidewalk. It was then she realized the tentacles were reaching towards them. "No! Look out!" she yelled. "I have to do something!" Throwing caution to the wind, she rushed into the middle of the street and turned to face her destiny. "Death Phantom!" she screamed his name, and everything suddenly seemed to stop. Those gone mad on the street around her fell silent and strangely calm, turning to face the brave woman with unseeing eyes. The abomination stilled as well, glowering down at her.

"How do you know my name?" His voice made her shiver, but she stood strong.

"I'm the one you want, leave these people alone!"

"Why would I care for you?"

She unclenched her fists, looking at those around her. There was nowhere for her to go, no place to hide to transform. She spun around to face her family and saw their fear and worry, and knew what she had to do. "Because I am your enemy. Silver Moon Crystal Power, Make Up!" She waited for the familiar tingles to race across her body, but nothing came but a horrible chill of fear. "Oh no..."

Death Phantom shook with laughter at her shocked expression. She took the brooch in her hands, staring at it as if it was an alien artifact. Questions, reasons and worries raced through her mind, but she was unable to come up with the right answer.

"Was something supposed to happen with those pretty words? No one, especially you, is going to stop me from attaining my goals! Now perish!" She reached for her communicator and her breath stalled as nothing but empty space met her hand. He unleashed his force above her and Usagi knew she had barely enough time to escape.

"Mars Flame Sniper!" The fire attack thwarted the Death Phantom's deadly power and he yelled in outraged surprise. "Usagi-chan, what are you doing?" Mars shouted.

"Rei, Rei-chan. I can't transform!" Usagi shouted, her brooch shaking in her hands.

"Tuxedo Kamen, get her out of here!" Usagi felt his arm slip around her waist as he pulled her to safety on the side of the street. Her family came rushing up behind them, concern written upon their faces.

"Are you all right, Usagi?" her mother asked frantically.

"I can't transform," she repeated quietly.

"Usagi, what are you talking about? What were you yelling out there?" Shingo asked.

"Stay here. I have to go help the others." Tuxedo Kamen turned to go, but like lightning, her hand reached for his.

"No, Mamo-chan! Don't leave me!" He looked at her and back at her family in shock for a moment.

"Mamo-chan?" Ikuko repeated.

"Tuxedo Kamen is Mamoru-san!" Shingo exclaimed.

Tuxedo Kamen reached out and held Usagi's face in his hands. "I'll be all right. Please, stay here." He kissed her softly, lingering only for a moment. "I love you, Usa." With a flash of a smile, he ran towards the battle.

"Is she all right?" Mercury asked as he neared.

"Yes, but she says she can't transform," he answered.

"Well, that's wonderful. Looks like we'll have to tackle this by ourselves. Jupiter Oak Evolution!" The Death Phantom shielded himself, Jupiter's powers pushing him back only slightly.

"Ah, the Sailor Senshi. I wondered when you would come. I've heard so much about you in my travels."

"We aren't afraid of you. In fact, we know you're kind of wussy, so why don't you just give up now?" Venus shouted.

"I do not think so." Blasts of black energy came driving towards them, forcing them to separate. They shouted their unique attacks, combining them into a power mass of crackling energy. It impacted upon him, but the energy seemed as if it were being absorbed into him with no ill effects. A laugh full of darkness shook him, his power maintaining its strength and growing with every passing moment. "I will not be destroyed."

The tentacles of dark energy shot up into the sky, descending farther into the city. Heedless of their protests, he rose into the air, his power accumulating into a massive dome of dark and dangerous power.

"We can't reach him from down here!" Mercury mentioned.

"What's he doing?" Mars asked.

"I don't know. It just looks like he's sitting there. Come on, let's regroup and figure out a plan," Venus answered as the possessed crowd around them reanimated and hounded them with hungry eyes.

Only stopping to gather Usagi and her family, the Senshi raced inside and up to the top floor of the apartment building next to the Arcade.

"Did you see all those people out there? Something's wrong with them," Venus said, calling upon her chain to cave the ceiling in to block the stairs behind them.

"It's the Death Phantom's effect. Don't you remember that's what they told us he did to the Earth? He made people become violent, turning everyone against one another," Mercury reiterated.

"What do you think they did?" Venus asked, referring to their future selves.

"We will drive ourselves crazy asking that question," Tuxedo Kamen put in. "We need to figure out what we can do."

"He's right, let's go to the rooftop and see if I can get a better reading," Mercury suggested.

"Tsukino-sans, stay here and you'll be safe," Venus said, trying to sound as reassuring as she could under the circumstances, before turning to a still shaken Usagi. "Usagi-chan, you should stay also."

"No, I'm coming."

"But-"

"I'm going!"

"Usagi, no! What are you thinking?" Kenji grabbed her arm tightly. The grown woman turned to them, a look in her glossy eyes that startled her father.

"Don't you see yet?" she spoke softly.

Ikuko peered at her daughter questioningly and at the young women around her. The Senshi gazed at one another for the briefest of moments, before allowing their powers to diminish ever so slightly. To Ikuko, it was as if a veil had been lifted from their young forms and her eyes widened. "I recognize these faces...Aino Minako?"

Venus smiled, making a V for victory sign. "You got it."

"All your friends are the Sailor Senshi, Usagi?" Shingo's mouth gaped, not believing his eyes.

"Yes and I am their leader, Sailor Moon. I wanted to tell you so many times, but I just couldn't. Please understand." Usagi waited for their response, but Ikuko only smiled.

"Now that I think about it, how could I have not known?" Ikuko said thoughtfully, gently grabbing one of Usagi's long strands. "Who else wears their hair like this?"

The two grinned at each other, before Usagi launched herself into her mother's arms. For a moment, the whole family shared in an embrace until Tuxedo Kamen called to them. "Stay here okay? I'll be fine." Usagi smiled bravely and followed the Senshi up to the roof.

"Usagi is Sailor Moon? Now I know the world is going crazy," Shingo muttered.

.

Once outside, they immediately wished to retreat down the steps. The Death Phantom's power raged like spring's worst storm, the air haunted with blackness and great bolts of angry, unnatural lightning. His power enveloped all of Tokyo to block out the sun and sky.

"Look at all the people."

Glancing down they could see that entire streets were littered with fires as a number of buildings were burning out of control, the chaos causing fear to creep into their hearts. Screams and shouts floated up to them like deadly incense threatening to choke their sanity as people fled in terror and those infected ran rampant and unchecked. Sirens shook the air, but they knew there would be little the authorities could do against this magical threat.

"This has never happened before, a forceful attack out of nowhere? Usually we deal with some youma and then some higher ranking bad guys, but this-"

"What are we going to do?" Mars interrupted Venus' rant.

"Whatever it is we need to do something fast. People are dying!" Mars shouted.

"Are you sure you can't transform, Usagi-chan?" Mercury asked, hope in her expression.

"Yeah, try again, Usagi-chan," Jupiter encouraged. The princess sighed, raising her brooch and ushering forth the words of power once more. Lightning and thunder continued to echo across the sky, as if mocking them. They stared with disappointment as Usagi remained the same.

"I don't know what's wrong," she sighed as she shook her head.

"The Eternal Tier did break during our struggle with Galaxia. Perhaps because it broke, you can't transform into Eternal Sailor Moon anymore," Mercury deduced.

"Every time something like that has happened she's always received new powers, though," Venus recalled.

"Eternal is my last power, my last form. There is nothing left for Sailor Moon, nothing left for me except-" She looked up at her friends, an indiscernible shimmer in her eyes. "We need to get closer to him."

The Sailor Soldiers moved with ease across the tops of the buildings, maneuvering themselves directly beneath the Death Phantom's feet. The streets below were barren and calm here, the aftermath of the chaos flooding the outer rims of the city. The thunder seemed far away, the flashes of lightning following the mass wave of destruction. On this night, the growing silence scared them more than the loud clashes of battle.

"Mars, get his attention," Usagi instructed.

"Right. Mars Flame Sniper!" The fiery arrow rushed through the air, making contact with their foe.

The Death Phantom moaned and quickly descended to their level in a state of utter rage. "You pesky fools, you cannot defeat me!"

"No, but I can." Usagi stepped passed them all, standing half way between her friends and her enemy. Her hands floated to her chest and like a flower the Ginzuishou unfurled from her breast.

"Usako!"

"No Mamo-chan, it's my turn." A bright pulse emanated from the crystal, flooding the surrounding area in white.

"Ah, I see now. You are Sailor Moon, the holder of this legendary Silver Crystal. I have waited to challenge you. For years I watched from afar as your enemies failed to beat you. Imagine my surprise when I myself was your victim. I knew I had to seek out more power and have been biding my time, destroying worlds and systems to become stronger. I learned from their mistakes. I will reign where they had fallen!"

"I will not let you hurt this world anymore!" Her eyes were filled with determination, several rhythmic pulses beating off the crystal now. Like a ballet dancer, her feet slowly lifted off the ground as the air quickly becoming her dance floor.

"We shall see, Princess."

"I will destroy you now, so you may never plague our future again," she whispered to herself and closed her eyes. She reached out with her consciousness and in the dark of her mind, the crystal shone like a light at the end of a tunnel. Quickly the darkness was pushed back, and her mind flooded with warm light.

_I wish for the power to protect my friends and this planet_, she thought and felt the crystal pulse in response to her wish, but it was hesitant this time. It flowed through its mistress, but she could feel it trying to warn her somehow.

When she opened her eyes, the Death Phantom had released his powerful attack and with one graceful movement she raised the crystal above her head. The soldiers below did their best not to avert their eyes, but the brilliant light from the crystal overwhelmed them. They stood in amazed silence, always marveled by the power of the mysterious item. Usagi's energy met with his, creating an explosion that almost knocked them off their feet. Something still felt different to the heroine this time. The power within her held back and she had to reach deep inside to pull its strength. When she reached a certain point something loomed in the recesses of her subconscious and she feared to go deeper. Something horrible was going to happen if she continued to pull. Her hesitation did not go unnoticed.

"We should help her!" Mars shouted, sensing something amiss with her friend. The women of destiny circled beneath their princess, grasping each other's gloved hands. Their crystals began to glow brightly, the jewels on their tiaras brightening in sync with the Silver Crystal. With fervent cries, they shouted their respective invocations. Radiant beams shot up around them, encircling the glowing form of their leader. A short distance away Tuxedo Kamen watched eagerly, shifting beneath his dark cape.

With all their mighty brilliance, the warriors battled the Death Phantom's sinister strength and with one, final mighty pulse from the Silver Crystal, Death Phantom was engulfed in a wave of white. "No!" he screamed.

Usagi's eyes widened for she was finally able to see him in all his dark glory. In her mind's eye, she saw the little boy he used to be, cowering in a dark corner alone. She saw him watch from inside his confinement as war raged outside. Cars and houses exploded with death and disease flooding his land as the mountain streams rush in the spring. The little boy grew into a man of hate, and she watched the moment he realized he had an unnatural power granting him strength above any normal human.

Usagi's heart cried out to her. Her future self had refused to kill the Death Phantom knowing he was human and had sent him spiraling towards Nemesis. If she did the same, their horrible future would repeat. Destruction and pain would come again to their world, but the Princess of the Moon could see no alternative. She could not end his life.

"Leave my home and find the peace you have been looking for!" she yelled to him within her mind, feeling the rush of power as she banished him from this earthly body and sent him as far away as she dared to another realm. Her energy spread ever outward, bathing the city in purifying waves of energy until nothing but white light could be seen.


	4. Chapter 4

The air was sweet and fresh, unspoiled by time or pollution. The white light faded around Usagi and a sea of bright flowers swayed before her. Beyond, an alabaster palace and a city of stone stood proud and pristine. Everything sparkled like the world before her was new, but there was an emptiness to the place, as if the city had been built and left untouched. She looked up and noticed the strange clouds above, embraced by the clear dome that protected the beautiful but empty landscape below. It left a note of sadness in her heart to see her former home so abandoned, but the looming background took her breath away with its splendor. Earth rose like a majestic king above her, the colors of her new home so much more vibrant than the scenery around her now. The planet tugged at her very soul, calling her back into its embrace.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Her eyes were drawn to a shimmering white spot nestled amongst the rainbow of color around her. Usagi recognized the royal figure immediately. She was looking at the Silver Millennium form of herself. The ethereal princess stood clad in the luminescent long white dress that came to life under the artificial wind around them.

"What's going on?" Usagi asked, not knowing what else to say.

"The crystal has brought you here. Here, to this place of your never ending destiny," Princess Serenity said with a cryptic smile.

"To do what?"

"To make a choice, Usagi," Serenity answered, waving her hand. Usagi felt the familiar tingle of power and closed her eyes as her transformation took place. The fluttering skirt of Eternal Sailor Moon enveloped her body and despite all her misgivings, she was grateful to see it again.

"I spent a lot of my time here," Serenity continued. "My duties were sometimes overwhelming, one day in particular. I managed to escape far beyond this garden and sought refuge on another planet full of them. That was the day I met him," she revealed and Usagi needed no clarification. "After we met, it was hard to choose duty over love. In other words, the needs of my people as opposed to the one I needed in my life. Endymion and I couldn't be together in this lifetime. So many things tore us apart. You were our best, last hope for our love, but you were so much more. When the time came, I had not the power to protect those I loved, nor could I protect myself. I become nothing more than a tragic princess. Duty kept me locked within these palace walls most of my life, but you were free to live a normal life."

Serenity stepped a little closer until she was floating a mere two feet away. "We complete each other, you see. I am the queen you were always meant to be, while you are the girl I never got to be. The time for a new life draws near. The only way to be prepared is to accept what destiny sets before you now."

"What will happen, if…if I don't want to?" Eternal Sailor Moon asked, biting her lip.

Serenity smiled, extending her hand towards Eternal Sailor Moon's face. "Though we are different, our soul, our core is the same." Soft hands turned Usagi around to stare at the elegant marble hovering in space. "It's where we truly belong. We may have been born of the Moon, but our hearts beat for the Earth. We love that world and more than anything we want peace. I know you have many questions about how you will protect your friends and loved ones in the future."

"I just want us to be free," Eternal Sailor Moon sighed, her eyes brimming with tears.

"The best chance at us being free is to simply be who we are. You have a chance to create a more beautiful Earth, one in which peace finally has the chance to reign if let be. You also have a choice to live a normal life. But deep in your heart, you know it would be difficult to stand back and watch as evil plagues this world when you have the power to save it. I stood back and watched once and I will never do it again. I know who I am and what I want. Do you know who you are, Usagi?"

The white light flashed once more. Finally, she found herself back on the familiar pavement of Tokyo's streets. Her friends gathered around her still in their uniforms. They didn't seem alarmed to see her, which meant time must have frozen as she ventured to the moon. Perhaps she had not gone anywhere at all.

"Wow, look," Jupiter exclaimed. They stood amazed as they surveyed their surroundings.

One glance brought with it instant relief to their heavy hearts, for the damage done by the Death Phantom had reverted to its previous state thanks to their combined powers. The sun shone unhindered by evil intent. They could hear sirens far off in the distance, but peace had been restored.

"We were not prepared for this," Mercury remarked. "I tried so hard to put together the perfect battle plan. I thought he would come at us like all the others."

"We weren't strong enough to beat him," Jupiter cut in, frustration in her tone as she balled her fists.

"I should've sensed something earlier," Mars admonished herself, shaking her head.

"So much for me being the leader under the princess. I was too shocked at the freaky behavior of all those people," Venus sighed. "You were the only one strong enough to defeat him, Usagi-chan."

"We should get out of here," Tuxedo Kamen suggested as he eyed the crowd swelling below them.

Together, they jumped to the rooftops with Usagi in Tuxedo Kamen's arms. She pressed close to him, her eyes fixed on his shining buttons. The scent of flowers still lingered around her.

.

"Here Usagi-chan, drink this."

She sat there without a word, her expression unreadable. Uncertainty had crept into the minds of her friends, for Usagi had demonstrated no willingness to speak since their arrival at the shrine less than two hours back. With trepidation, they attempted unsuccessfully to drag the information out of her, but little passed between her lips. They looked to Mamoru pleadingly, but he only shook his head, silently asking them to give her time.

"Thank you Rei-chan." Usagi took the tea and sipped at it carefully.

"Well guys, what do you think will happen next?" Minako asked, her eyes meeting those of Makoto.

"Oh, that's an easy question, Minako-chan. You see, somehow we're all going to become powerful guardians of the planet with Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san as king and queen over the whole Earth. Who, by the way, mostly believe in the spirit of democracy. And somehow we manage to build a huge crystal palace and have some fun too. Piece of cake," Makoto rambled, taking in a large breath at the end of her statement.

"Sure, it will be as easy as shooting monkeys in a barrel," the blonde with a bow in her hair said cheerfully.

The room groaned. "Minako-chan..."

"I went to the Moon." Usagi's soft words resounded throughout the shrine and everyone stopped to look at their princess.

"What?"

"After we attacked the Death Phantom, I-" She stopped and slowly captured each of them within her watery gaze. "Princess Serenity was there. She told me I would need to choose soon about what I wanted my future to be. We have to make a choice now. I think I have made up my mind, but I cannot decide for you guys. Your lives are your own and I want you to be happy, my friends, my love."

She rose and walked towards the doorway, placing her palm upon the threshold. Her hand outlined perfectly by the rich tones of dark wood as if she were looking at an ancient cave painting summarizing the extinction of man. She quickly turned her head to one side, her outline almost lost in the brilliant sunlight streaming into the room through the open door. There was a smile trying to bubble to the surface as the old Usagi tried to be strong for her friends, but her concerns pulled the corners of her lips down. "I will call you later, I promise, but right now I need to be alone."

"Usa-" Quickly her hand fell away from the sturdy doorframe, her figure now completely bathed in sunlight.

.

With a final sigh, Ami deposited her glasses amongst the organized stacks of paper on her desk. The small desk lamp cast sufficient light to allow her to perform her tasks with relative ease, but left the rest of the room in darkness. Visions of when the room was awake with activity flashed within her mind. Images of excited students and the smell of chalk flooded her memory. A pleasant smile moved across her lips as she gazed at the photographs set upon her desk.

She looked fondly upon the picture of her mother and herself taken at a college fair where a blue ribbon was pinned to her white lab coat. Beside it, a larger picture of a beautiful day in the park met her eyes, the group of girls spread out upon the checkered blanket. She smiled sadly, and picked up the phone from its cradle. Her finger instinctively punched the numbers out. The dial tone, cold and uncaring on this particular night, rang loudly in her ear.

The other end of the line clicked alive. "Hello?"

"Hi Mom, I know it's late. But can I come over?"

.

The neon sign had blinked out long ago with the floors swept clean and chairs turned upside down upon lacquered tables. The restaurant was as dark as the vacuous night outside, hiding her dreams and accomplishments from passersby. Idly, she created shapes out of water left by forgotten and warmed drinks at the bar. Inside she felt like a puddle herself, like her dreams and desires were evaporating right before her eyes.

Makoto wiped the counter for the twentieth time to destroy her creations. She had accomplished her dream and even though this was not the famous restaurant or bakery she had once hoped for, it was more than she could ask for at the end of the day. After all her hard work, this place would soon be dismantled, carved out for the next owner to shape his or her own dreams. Angrily, she threw down the cloth and hid her face behind closed fists.

.

She huddled as close as she could to the glowing fire. It danced before her closed eyelids like ritual dancers losing themselves in ecstasy. Its fiery silhouette assuming the forms of haunted shadows as they continuously caressed the walls. Pearls of sweat beaded down her forehead, her concentration focused and complete. For a frightening moment, the fire raged, threatening to consume her and the thin walls. So much was captured in its ancient light, a heaving power long forgotten and much sought after by countless others before her. But almost as it started, it quickly faded, and her dark eyes opened. It had no answers for her tonight.

"Rei, can you please help me outside?" The familiar voice of her grandfather called to her, but instead of answering him, she hesitated this time. The walls of this place, so alive with memories and traditions, would eventually be replaced by the walls of a crystal destiny. She sighed, shifted her weight to rise.

"I'm coming."

.

Her feet were propped up on the edge of the veranda's wall, her red painted toes wiggled free from her expensive pumps. The night was warm and inviting outside, causing her to leave her silk dress forgotten over the shallow wall of the threshold. A glass of wine dangled in-between long fingers, the white bubbles floating up like shooting stars. She felt alive with every sensation as the night air caressed her bare skin.

With an exaggerated motion, Minako reached up behind her head and felt for something that held more than her flaxen locks, but held memories and meaning as well. She released her hair from the ribbon she always carried with her and let the red silk strip fall to the floor. The Moon shone down brightly, but the valiant warrior kept her eyes averted from its touch tonight.

.

They sat silently on the rooftop, gazing out at the now quiet city. The remaining remnants of today's unearthly activities were swept away although the city could not forget such things. The four Outer Senshi had arrived shortly after the battle had ended and watched as the others disappeared. They stayed to make sure all threats had been eliminated, but also because of Usagi's haunting words.

"The Inners did well today," Saturn commented.

"They always save the day," Uranus huffed, crossing her arms. "They hadn't even considered calling us for help?"

"I'm sure they had no time," Pluto reasoned.

"Another thing to add to our theory," Neptune said, gazing out at the dark horizon. "They don't need us anymore."

"That's not true," a new voice spoke confidently.

Quickly they turned on their heels and faced the darkness of night behind them, ready to meet anything dangerous that lay within its depths. Usagi stepped out to meet them. They were quick to notice the great burden held within her deep blue eyes and felt a force deep within. Seeing their princess pained, even if she hadn't always been their duty, unsettled them deeply.

"Usagi-chan, how did you find us?"

The young woman offered a wry smile in response. "I know that we've only ever been together because of all the trouble we get into, but I wish we all could've been closer outside of our uniforms and duty. I'm ashamed of myself for not getting to know you better. I…I love all of you very much, and no matter what you decide I want you to know that won't ever change."

"What are you talking about, Koneko-chan?" Uranus asked, stepping forward.

"Destiny is calling us, all of us this time, to one point. I know what you've been through, and I know what you might do tomorrow, but-I only want you guys to know that I'm thankful for every moment I've had with you, and the time you've given me in return. I don't think I can stop what is to come, but you do not have to come with me this time. Choose for yourselves and not for me, please. You deserve that much."

"What about tomorrow?" Pluto asked.

"If you want no more part in being a Senshi, if you want a normal life in the coming future, don't come tomorrow. But if choose to stay, meet us at the fountain in the park at sunset. Think about it, please, that's all I ask."

.

They were beautiful. Moon and streetlight combined creating a mixture of white and golden light, bringing out every facet the red roses possessed. On any normal night he would stop and study them further, to marvel at their simple, yet elegant beauty. Tonight was different and she was different, too. He had seen it in her eyes after the battle was over, had heard it a voice that sounded so much older. Even if the others hadn't noticed, not much got passed him. Something had happened in those few moments when the world was bathed in her light and he couldn't leave her to deal with it alone.

From afar, he had watched her traverse the city in the late hours of night, her eyes scanning everything in sight. But now and then she would be preoccupied like in a far off world of her own making. She often found herself outside familiar locations such as the arcade, her old school or Tokyo Tower. Her feet had retraced to the point of their recent battle where the Outer Senshi still gathered. Her words made him even more concerned.

The next stop had been Usagi's childhood home and for a long time she hovered outside the gate, her hand gripping its polished brass lock. She looked as if she had been on the verge of tears or of rushing over the threshold and into the comfort of the past. It took all the will he could muster to obey her wish in that moment.

Usagi and Mamoru had found their way into the park where her mysterious plan would soon unfold. She sat on the bench with her eyes fixed upon the waning moon and her back to him. From there she pulled out her communicator and typed something furiously into the worn keypad. After a short while, she stretched herself out on the bench as if to rest.

He waited patiently until he thought she was asleep to emerge from his musky, rose blanketed cover. The night was quiet here and for the first time that night he allowed himself to relax.

"Thank you." The quiet words made him jump.

"Usako?"

"I said I wanted to be alone, but thank you for staying with me tonight."

He was surprised at her powers of intuition. "I couldn't leave you alone. You should know that by now. What did you send them?"

"I want them to meet me here at sunset tomorrow if they want to continue to be guardians. If they don't, they shouldn't come. It's the best I can give them because I realized tonight that, well, there's no going back for me. I will be Neo-Queen Serenity. I will save the world if I can until I can't anymore."

"Usako…" he made his way to the bench and sat down beside her, gathering her up into his strong arms. He knew it would devastate her to have her friends leave her side if that was their decision, but she would be happier than if they stayed there by force. She loved them all. She loved them too much. "I will always be by your side, Usako. Always and forever."

"I know, Mamo-chan." They huddled close together as the fountain sending continuously chimes of water in the stillness close by. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"About Nemesis," she clarified.

"I'm sorry, Usa," he sighed. "I thought I was protecting you. I had no idea things were going to happen so quickly."

Usagi shook her head. "Only a day after my birthday."

"We barely had any time to ourselves." She then turned to face him, holding a hand against his face. He covered it possessively. Her azure eyes were clear, even within the darkness of the park. He saw her smiling.

"The most important moment of my life was not when I turned sixteen or even twenty-one, not when I became Sailor Moon or when I finally graduated. It was when I married you, Mamo-chan, and we had peace during that time and I'm thankful for it every day."

He knew it was the truth. That this brief prelude of peace he had always so wished for would propel them into the future. He would always look back at these years when times became troublesome. It would be their anchor when all else became lost.

She gently placed her head on his shoulder. "Please, just let me stay here 'til I fall asleep?"

"Okay, but Usako?"

"Hmm?"

"Who's going to make sure I don't fall asleep first?"

They chuckled quietly.

"Mamo-chan..."

.

"Are you awake yet?"

It was barely morning when she heard the loud and disruptive question- or at least it sounded that way at such an early hour. The sheets ruffled as she turned to face the one beside her dimly outlined by the light outside. Her lover's aquamarine hair had a ghostly appearance, but she knew the person hidden within the shadows was alive and real.

"Yes, I'm awake," she moaned in response. An arm reached out in the dark and draped itself over her chest, the soft hand clutching her shoulder. "What's on your mind?"

"Haruka..." The morning became quiet again and Haruka creased her brows.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm just thinking."

"About?" Haruka asked, dragging the information from her.

"About everything."

Shrugging, Haruka replied with "well, stop thinking then."

Michiru smirked into her skin. "Easy for you to say."

"Very funny. Michiru, everything will be okay."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I'm not, but it's what you want to hear, so just let it suffice."

Michiru almost snorted in response, silently cursing Haruka's influence. "Wow, you should be a counselor."

"Well, it's the truth. I've never had to protect you before. You're strong enough on your own. But I know one thing though."

"What?"

"I'll protect and be with you anyways. Well, when I'm not babysitting the princess."

"You're such a romantic, Haruka."

Haruka gave her a smug smile and flung the sheets over their heads. "Romance is for Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san."

.

Setsuna stood alone outside under the attentive sunlight. Down below, the city buzzed with life and movement, but it was all a blur to her. She had seen this sight many times, in many lifetimes, through many eyes. Sometimes everything came together in a cloud of memories and visions and on those occasions she took her leave of the Time Gate. Now was one of those times. The timeline was twitching and convulsing behind the closed doors, sending shockwaves and rifts throughout her realm. This signified great change, a change she could not hope to attend to with her powers. It was out of her hands, for something approached that she could not stop. She had already done enough.

She heard the screen door slide but didn't have to turn around to know who would emerge. Hotaru joined her on the balcony, twirling her fingers tightly around the railing. "Only a few more hours..."

"I know," Setsuna replied.

"Is this it? The beginning of Crystal Tokyo?"

Setsuna paused, coming to the crossroads of her position. She had the option of telling Hotaru the truth and so many times she wanted to reveal everything to her friends. But she had always refrained from doing so in the end. The burden of truth was hers alone. Even the daughter of Chronos could not foresee everything.

"Do you know what makes life worth living, Hotaru? At any moment it can end and the only reason to continue on is because we do not know when that day will come." She turned to the younger girl, a sly smile on dark lips. "At Christmas, would you like me to tell you what you got before you get a chance to open it?"

"No, that's part of the fun. Not knowing what is around the corner can also bring danger though."

"Life is a mystery, Hotaru. Even our destiny driven lives hold some uncertainty to them, and I cannot take that simple gift away from you. I have fought and planned too hard to do so."

"Planned? What are you talking about, Setsuna-mama?"

Setsuna fell silent and her own grip around the railing tightened. She kept her eyes away from Hotaru's penetrating gaze and fixed them on a point on the distant horizon. She could feel it, even this far away. The timeline surged onward, its immense power knocking on the heavy doors of the present. It would not be long now.

.

Cool air poured over her exposed arms. The fountain refreshed this area of the park from the warm summer days. She shivered at it now, for the night was cool and her nerves were on edge. Her flip-flops made no noise, but each fall of his cane clicked on the stone below. She turned to find her husband a short distance behind her. She had always wondered why his powers had taken on the form of a dashing gentleman, but somehow she thought she had been an influence from long ago. Artemis and Luna were not too far away, their tails swishing with anticipation.

"Do you think they'll come? Not everyone answered me when I sent out the communication. Do you think it was too early to make them decide? Do you think I should call them again?"

"Of course they'll come, don't worry," Tuxedo Kamen answered quickly.

"Yeah Usagi-chan, we can't leave you alone. Who knows what trouble you'll get into," a familiar voice rang out.

Out of the shadows the Outers emerged.

"Well, out of everyone else I thought they would arrive late," Artemis muttered to Luna.

"We've made our decision, Koneko-chan. We'll stay and fight with you," Uranus pronounced. "It would be utterly boring being normal now, and you do not want to be around me I'm bored."

"Trust us," Neptune chimed in.

"Oh, I'm so glad you guys are here!" Usagi exclaimed as tears of happiness collection against the rims of her eyes.

"Where are the others?" Saturn asked.

They scanned their surroundings, looking for their missing comrades. Time seemed to pass slowly and with each second a piece of Usagi's heart broke. The sunset made its brief show as it cast the sky in bright hues of purple and orange. It watched over them for a few moments, as if wondering what all the commotion was about, before disappearing behind faraway buildings and trees.

Usagi let out an excited noise and her small congregation turned their attention to her line of sight. As the sun finally set, the four remaining warriors emerged from its dying light. With each step they took, Usagi's heart beat faster and filled with a sense of relief. Their faces held determination and strength.

Jupiter grinned apologetically. "We're sorry we're late. Venus here is all to blame."

"Look, if I'm going to my final destiny I should really be prepared." She defended herself and then smacked her painted lips together dramatically.

"Of course we'd be here, Odango. Do you really think so little of us?" Mars huffed, throwing a mass of her dark hair over an insulted shoulder.

"Rei-chan, don't be so mean!" Usagi wailed like her old self.

"I think what Rei-chan meant to say is that we'll always be with you Usagi," Mercury's diplomatic voice explained.

"Yeah, to the end," Jupiter declared and those around Usagi nodded in agreement.

Usagi smiled and it was almost like the sun had risen again. "You guys are my best friends and I can't think of anyone I'd rather share the future with. Let's do this together!" Usagi exclaimed.

As one, they circled around their prince and princess with hands held firmly. Usagi looked up towards the glowing moon and they could feel the power around them begin to grow. Above, the satellite seemed to pulse and the crescent upon Usagi's forehead became outlined in glowing silver light. It burned brightly until its golden form was completely visible.

Luna and Artemis looked on as light engulfed them all and the next moment they were gone. The night fell quiet and cool once more and the city continued without any indication that soon, things were going to change.


	5. Chapter 5

She was weightless, floating on a cushion of air in some strange place. Around her, subtle colored lights hovered like familiar stars in a city haze. She could sense them as clearly as she had seen her friends congregated in formulation only seconds ago and knew they belonged to her sister Senshi. A silver light burned brighter than all the rest, the powerful warmth of her princess filling her soul.

"We have been brought here to make a decision, to accept our futures, and I knew I couldn't make it for you," Usagi announced, her voice echoing all around her. "Open your eyes, Ami-chan..."

With a simple blink of an eye, Ami felt the ground firm beneath her feet, but the scenery had indeed changed. The Moon Palace stood tall and erect before her, shining over the white city with pride. She hadn't forgotten the ruined landscape of the Moon, but this endless splendor amazed her. What astounded the water Senshi most at this moment, however, was the figure standing in front of her.

"Hello, Ami." The ancient Senshi of Mercury she had once been greeted.

"How is this possible?" Ami asked.

"Many things are possible here, you should know that. This is simply a catalyst in time, two eras coming together for a single purpose - to evolve once more. But we know change does not happen spontaneously. Something usually sets it in motion and you are the one to do that now. In you are all the answers you seek concerning your past and the foresight to realize your future. Let me show you."

.

"Rei-chan..."

The vibrant fire senshi opened her eyes to find her own scorching orbs staring right back at her. She jumped slightly, overwhelmed by the incredible sight of the Senshi-priestess she had once been.

"The flames of Mars burned strongest than any throughout the system allowing us alone to tame its glory, its power. Even now it still lies within waiting for you to accept its gift and become who we were meant to be. With the fire of the Earth and Mars together, there's much we can do together."

"I can use both flames?" Mars asked, dubious.

"There are not many things that can stand up to an inferno. Let us burn together."

.

"Mako-chan..."

"Do you want the strength to defend your friends?"

"Who are you?" Makoto opened her eyes and gasped, finding her former self like all the others. "What is this?"

"You have long run away from life, Makoto. Striking like lightning, landing randomly wherever you could. Now is the time to stand strong, time to embrace your destiny. I will give you the power you seek."

"How?" Makoto asked, skeptical. "You were Super Sailor Jupiter, as am I, but you failed to defeat a foe we destroyed in our first evolution."

"You know not of what you speak. It was not that simple." The figure opposite shook slightly. "We were stronger than you could ever imagine. As one, there will be no one to stand up to our fury. Come with me, and we will never be weak again."

.

"Minako-chan..."

She felt the wind on her face long before her eyes had adjusted to this silvery world. She wasn't very surprised this was the place where Usagi's plans would unfold, but the woman facing her was something she hadn't expected. The golden chain of Venus dangled lightly in her doppelganger's gloved hands, a small smile tugging at shining lips.

"Hello, Minako."

"Hello, Venus. I'm sure you have something to tell me?"

"I always thought it ironic that I was the Senshi of metal, of hardness," her duplicate sighed, the chain in her hand now twirling. "We were unstoppable, however. Our love seeped through, grafting our power to something more. Something alive."

"I've never understood why I have this power," Minako admitted.

"I have the answer to that and a few more questions I know torment you. You don't hide like the others, you don't run from them. You transform them into something you can use, just like I transformed our powers. But they're still there, Minako. They always will be until you face them. You are a brave soldier whose put her duty before everything else. I can show you a time when it was not always so, even though it cost us dearly. Yet in our weakness is our strength. It's time to let go."

.

"Haruka-san, Michiru-san..."

"Someone better explain or I will get very annoyed," Haruka asked of her ghost. She was happy to see Michiru beside her and took comfort as their counterparts stood close together, hands in white gloves clasped tightly. Yet this moment was unexpected and Haruka was not overly fond of surprises.

"We were from very different worlds, different stations, and when Queen Serenity forced us to work together as Senshi it was all we could not to destroy one another for a long time," Neptune revealed, shocking her audience.

"Not what you were expecting, I'm sure?" Sailor Uranus quirked a smug smile.

"We always just thought," Michiru began but wasn't sure how to finish.

"Both of us suffered great loss that marked us. Love was not something we strove for after that," Uranus revealed. "We never thought to look for it in each other until it was too late."

"We kept to our duty and began to think little of those we were even protecting. We grew distant from each other, the other Senshi and even our queen who knew us best," Neptune said, regret in her symphonic voice. "Seeing the two of you together brings us much joy, but we've also seen how you hold others at arm's length and have worried the same fate would befall you."

"You need to see, to know what happened so it does not happen again. You need to accept the power we can give you so will stand proud with the princess. It's where we belong. Take what we offer."

.

"Hotaru-chan..."

The presence of Saturn had always been with her, taking hold when the battles seemed hopeless. She was there in the background to whisper into Hotaru's growing mind, guiding her fingers and words around a turbulent power.

"I don't have much to offer you in comfort. We were a weapon Queen Serenity never wanted to use, but she saved us from a life that would have destroyed us. She gave us love, but she gave us darkness," Saturn divulged. She stood resolute with her hand clasped around the Silence Glaive. She seemed to be aged a few years older than Hotaru herself, but her opaque eyes spoke of a timeless force.

"I am no stranger to darkness," Hotaru replied.

Sailor Saturn nodded in understanding. Her free arm reached up to tighten around the opposite shoulder as if to protect herself from a sudden cold. "It is frightening. I failed to control it before, I ran away from it and abandoned my queen. If you take this power, the only thing I can give to you is the truth."

"You will give me more than that. You will give me a future with a friend I never would have survived without. I am the darkness and I am no longer afraid."

.

"Setsuna-san..."

She had watched from afar as one by one the Senshi's essences flickered away. They left this limbo of light and transported to another dimensional plane until only three remained. The prince and princess' lights danced closely together, but she shied away from their presence. She was not of their light. She never could be.

Eventually, she watched as the prince and princess disappeared to leave her alone in this ancient place. They were going to be reunited with their pasts, their destinies, but it would not be the same with her. Time and life cycled differently for a Senshi beyond such limitations. She had no destiny to face, no ancient vow to accept, for it had always been inside her.

She remembered everything, for she existed out of time and space. She was the very same Pluto she had been millennia ago, and the same Pluto millennia into the future. She alone held the weight of the truth for this long. A part of her wished they would never know, but she was selfishly thankful the others would hopefully remember soon. She had but to wait just a bit more, wait for their answers, and for the Silver Crystal to set her free.

.

"Mamo-chan..."

As soon as the light disappeared he stood at the ready, quickly glancing around for the one he was destined to protect and love. The white mask could not hold his surprise at whom he found, however. Their capes danced in the wind like banners atop a proud tower. The man's armor gleamed into Mamoru's eyes, but he dared not look away. Something in those blue eyes commanded his attention, even if they were his own.

"Greetings, Mamoru," Prince Endymion said.

"What is this? Where is Usagi?"

The prince held up a patient hand. "She is safe. For now."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Mamoru held his cane firmly.

Prince Endymion smiled and chuckled quietly. "You cannot even trust yourself where she is concerned. I don't blame you, but we are here for her benefit even if she believes it is for ours," he laughed once more, but some of the humor left it. "She's always wanted the best for us."

"Do you have the answers we're looking for?"

"I have the answers _you're_looking for. I know what lies within your mind. You are unsure if you will have the strength to protect her. You do, Mamoru. You have many powers lying dormant inside you just waiting for you to unlock their mysteries. The truth is you have strength, a power greater than those around her."

"Then why did all this happen?" Mamoru gestured around to the beautiful grave of the Silver Palace. "Why weren't you able to protect her before?"

The prince's eyes faltered and he drew them towards the flowers at their feet. Mamoru followed his gaze and for a moment it seemed he could hear them speaking, the whisperings of different voices flowing together in a forgotten song.

"Our power is much different from the other Senshi and Serenity. In some ways, it is much more powerful than the Ginzuishou, but it is also extremely vulnerable as well. Ours is the only one that can be used directly by others. Those that attacked you before thought it was necessary to make you theirs, but they, thankfully, did not understand. In the past, the Kinzuishou fueled all the magic users on our planet, but we are the only one that can use its full potential."

"But you didn't. Why?"

"I chose her," Endymion replied. "But there is nothing to stop you in this era from taking it. It's been waiting for you. Together we can control it. Together we will have the strength to protect what we love most. You will no longer feel like a helpless shadow. Will you accept your ultimate power and become the king you were meant to be?"

.

Eternal Sailor Moon, as if she were molten light, withdrew from the cosmic void. She sighed unconsciously at the beautiful landscape all around her, taking it in like it was the first time all over again. Glancing around, she found herself alone within her forsaken kingdom. She saw the flowers at her feet, but she knew they were nothing but an illusion. This world remained silent and kept alive only within her mind, like a well-cared for painting stored to preserve the colors.

She felt a forceful wind tug at her wings and a rainbow swarmed around her, pulling at her long hair. They settled on each side of her body in rows, exploding like fireworks as they touched the soft ground. The result was not shadows of smoke, but her beloved friends in the flesh once more.

"Usa," Tuxedo Kamen sighed, relieved.

"Usagi-chan, are you all right?" Venus asked.

"Yes, I'm fine."

"You're Eternal Sailor Moon again," Mercury commented.

"Yes, I'm not sure how, but this is what happened last time, too."

"Did you guys, um-"

"Meet with our past selves? Yes," Mars finished Venus' question.

"So what's going on, Sailor Moon?" Uranus asked a second time.

"Destiny has brought you all here," a wispy voice answered. The wind picked up again and before each Senshi their former selves materialized, clothed in long flowing gowns. Sailor Pluto stood alone. She stared into the blank space with eyes of stone. Lastly, the forms of Prince Endymion and Princess Serenity re-appeared, their hands clasped. "There are roads ahead that will lead you to many dead ends, if you are not prepared," Serenity continued. "Within us lie some of the answers you seek, the strength you will need to face what is to come. This night is the start of a new journey."

"Crystal Tokyo..." Jupiter breathed.

"Yes," Serenity nodded. "I know this is an enormous decision to face-"

"What happens if we say no?" Mercury questioned, surprising them all. She turned to the others sheepishly, a blush rising to her cheeks. "Sorry, but I know it's on everyone's mind."

"We possess the powers of your complete and final forms. If you choose not to accept, then you have the choice of continuing with your current abilities, or let them fade. The power will never completely leave you, as your crystals are bonded to your star seeds, but you will never reach your full potential."

"We are missing pieces to the puzzle ahead, a part of you that should not be forgotten. With us, you have a better chance of facing what is to come," Prince Endymion continued and stared at Tuxedo Kamen. "And to protect those whom you love."

"What does it matter what we say then if this is destiny?" Neptune interrupted.

"No, it is choice. Destiny chose us and brought us here. Destiny gave us our ancient powers. But it was always up to us to decide what to do with them. It was our choice to continue on the path of a soldier. Now, on the dawn of a new era, Destiny is calling out to us again, and we must make our decision," the mysterious Pluto responded, gently letting her Time Staff rest on the grassy ground.

"Pluto is right. You must choose to accept your ultimate destiny, or choose not to. This is the beginning of your own destiny, not ours. Our time will end and we will become a part of you, the way it should have been long ago," Serenity said. "From here on to the future, nothing is written."

They fell quiet then, staring into the eyes of their past selves and shifting under the weight of Fate itself. They could feel the heartbeats of the girls they used to be banging upon their ribcages. They were being given a chance to be normal, as their former queen meant for it to be. They also had a chance to rectify the evils of this world, to face them with their true power and find peace for all.

Slowly, Venus turned to look at her princess. "Have you decided, Usagi-chan?"

"Yes, I have."

"Well then, that's settled," Jupiter said confidently.

"What? No, you cannot decide just because of me-"

Mars smiled. "Usagi-chan, like we told you before we left, we're with you always. We decided the moment we stepped foot in the park to accept this. Where you go, we go."

"And it's not only that," Venus cut in. "This is our chance to find the answers we've been looking for. If the key to our future lies with reconciling with our past, that's a chance I'm willing to take. Serenity is right that we've been living their destinies. It's time we lived ours, whatever the consequences."

"If we look back on it, many times when you received new powers, Usagi-chan, it was because the Silver Millennium and Queen Serenity came to grant them to you. This is essentially no different, I would say," Mercury analyzed. "But this time, we are all being giving something and I think it will be the last time for all of us."

"Everyone looks for what their life means, some reason to exist. This is what ours means, I know that now," Jupiter said. "And you've never let us down before, Usagi-chan. You brought us all together, and together we can do anything."

"Yes," the others agreed.

Eternal Sailor Moon smiled brightly, the strangled breath finally releasing itself from her lungs. Gradually, she turned to the Outers.

"We have no ties to you like the others," Neptune said. "Our missions were never the same."

"And a part of us always wanted a release from them. We have long hoped a day like this would come," Uranus continued.

Eternal Sailor Moon smiled sadly. "I understand."

"But things have changed." Saturn tightened her grip on the glaive. "I have a feeling if we do not accept, we will never see Crystal Tokyo. And I want to see Chibi-Usa again, more than anything."

"And we have worked too hard to just give up now," Neptune remarked.

"Besides, I told you. We can't leave you alone for very long Koneko-chan." Uranus winked at her friend.

Eternal Sailor Moon beamed at her friends, a smile of relief and happiness spreading to her eyes. "And you, Setsuna-san?" she asked.

"I will always be here," Pluto bowed her head.

Princess Serenity smiled. "Then it is settled."

"Yes-"

"Usa…wait." His hand found hers and she turned to him, surprised.

"Mamo-chan, what's wrong?" Those strong hands that kept her safe and loved found their way to her shoulders, and his blue eyes burned into hers.

"I…I don't want to lose you, Usako," he admitted, cradling her gentle face in his hands. She smiled with understanding and calmly gathered his hands in hers. He followed her gaze to the couple standing before them. Prince Endymion's arm had slipped its way about Serenity's waist, bringing her closer to him. Her small hand rested on his in the same way Usako often did.

The ancient monarchs grinned at their future selves brightly, nodding their encouragement. "We won't be lost, I promise. You will always be my Mamo-chan and I will forever be your Usako. No amount of history can completely replace who we are now. Those names will always bring us back together. Trust this, trust us."

"You're right, Usako. I'm sorry," he said.

She squeezed his hand one last time and turned back towards their fate. "Are we ready everyone?"

Their firm nods supported her and with courage she stepped forward. Eternal Sailor Moon and Serenity approached one another and each held out their alabaster arms. In -between the two women a light began to glow and obediently the Silver Crystal emerged. "Make your wish, Usagi. Your memories will return to you slowly over the next few weeks, months perhaps, so you are not overwhelmed. Have patience with your new memories and your new gifts."

Eternal Sailor Moon nodded. "I wish the past to be re-awoken in us, in all of us, so we can be who we were meant to be."

In seconds the Silver Crystal flashed brilliantly. It blinded them as before and they could feel its endless power wash over them. Like smoke vapors, their ancient forms were pulled off the ground and each circled the crystal, caressing its radiant beams, growing brighter and brighter with each passing. Once full of essence they reached out to the Senshi, superimposing themselves upon them like translucent veils. The world swirled and resounded with a series of different visions and voices. They gasped as something ancient entered their bodies, filling their veins with a burning power. It had begun.

.

Thousands of what seemed like shooting stars fell from the glowing moon to land sporadically all over the Earth. They didn't crash to the ground in smoldering craters, but seemed to dart around with minds of their own, flying with a bright mission in mind.

One found its way to a window of a small apartment bedroom where a man slept soundly. Another snaked down the vintage chimney and out of sight to another room in the cozy Manhattan brownstone. Through the open window the sprite entered, hovering close to the man's face. It rested there for a brief moment, seeming to contemplate something as it vibrated with hesitancy. However, its need to complete its mission would not be distracted and it could not return. Gently it floated towards his forehead and disappeared beneath skin. The man's blue hair moved from his face and like a brilliant beacon, a golden crescent moon appeared between his brows.

As if he were electrified, he shot out of bed, a strangled cry coming from his dry throat. His eyes scanned the room nervously, as if seeing it for the first time. He felt his blood burning inside him as memories and feelings ran rampant through his veins. For an instant he tried to convince himself they were nothing but dreams gone rampant, but an ancient knowledge was filling him he could not deny. The young man grabbed the sides of his head to thwart the pressure and sat there motionless for a few moments to regain his composure. As reality slowly came back into focus, he heard a large thud outside his room, followed by a curse in a long dead language. The door was wrenched open and with surprise the two brothers stared at the markings blazing upon their foreheads.

"But how…?"

As Paris came alive in the morning sun, a woman with brilliant green hair climbed aboard the metro and took her usual position. She stared diligently at her smart phone and ignored those around her as they all piled in for their work commute. So engrossed in her social feeds she didn't even see the ball of light enter the cabin, nor heard the startled gasps of those around her until it was too late. As it merged with its forgetful host, she was transported across time to another life. She lived in a sprawling house made of a glowing, golden marble and held court for a billion stars. There was no sun to illuminate their world. Instead their homes, streets and buildings shone brightly in the perpetual darkness on their own and gave off a warm, life sustaining light. She heard someone calling her name, a name she never even knew belonged to her, but it all faded away in an instant.

"Quelle est-elle?" she heard another voice murmur above her and awoke back to the people filled train. They had all moved far away from her as if they were afraid.

"Quel est le problème?" she asked, wondering why they stared at her so. A man closest to her pointed to her forehead and in the reflection of her cell phone she saw a golden crescent moon resting prominent upon her brow. As the memories washed over her, she screamed.

In the growing, dark of night in Tokyo, four familiar lights found each other and together entered the open screen door of an empty apartment. They searched until they came upon a small box hidden beneath the bed. As their essences touched the lid the room exploded in color, before everything became still once more.

.

When the luminous display finally died away, her white heeled shoes gently touched down upon the Earth. Her long, alabaster dress pooled around her feet in an elegant embrace and the transparent wings of her gown glistened in the dark. The others followed, their powers flowing off them like waves on the sea. They stared at the woman before them, their eyes burning with an ancient fire. She wore something that signified the demise of an era and rise of another, of a life they had only seen glimpses of in the future. She was no longer a princess. Their uniforms had been altered as well. Long flowing ribbons dancing around their layered skirts and puffy sleeves clasped around the arms. The tiaras that had followed them through so many battles were now gone, replaced by the burning symbols of their heritage. Their evolution was complete.

The Silver Crystal continued to shine as it hung suspended between her graceful hands, but it had changed as well. Its blooming petals had fallen away and now it existed as it once had- a simple sphere of immense power. It started to flicker erratically and all at once disappeared back into its owner's heart. Her chest rose and fell quickly, her darkened eyes glancing around at her powerful guardians. The Moon was far above, but it shone brilliantly upon her graceful form, reflecting off the golden crown perched upon her head.

For the first time, the world viewed its future, its queen.


	6. Chapter 6

An unsteady hand made its way towards his chest. He brushed his fingertips across the engravings as if dusting off the cobwebs of time. The ancient armor felt smooth and hard to the touch, tangible proof his eyes weren't deceiving him. He could feel the tug of the powerful weapon at his side, its shining hilt glistening in the light of early evening. He had worn this armor in many battles in the past and in the present, but it somehow felt like it always belonged to someone else. That at those times he _was_ someone else. Now, for the first time in ages, he knew it was his own. Yet he could only muse on the already overwhelming feelings fluttering through his mind when something else caught his eye.

She turned towards him, her long flowing white dress shimmering against the backdrop of velvet night. She raised her hand to his chiseled face. Her touch carried the weight of a thousand years of pure devotion. Her eyes held countless memories deep as the boundless blue of the ocean they mirrored. He found himself lost in those current, his being awash amidst the endless surf of voices and flashes of memory overpowering his senses.

"Mamo-chan." The simple, loving utterance of his name brought him back to reality and he smiled at her, grasping her warm hand.

"Usako."

Something was different within each of them, but at the same time, familiar in every other way. It was as if they had seconds before woken from their nostalgic dreams. But this time, the dreams stayed with them and were all too real.

Silently, each warrior delved into the catacombs of their minds, reaching out to embrace these new memories and sensations with tentative caresses. The park was quiet and deserted this late at night and was a perfect magical atmosphere for their strange journey's end. The moment was utterly broken, however, as something metallic clattered to the ground with force, its vibrations shaking the earth before climbing up their legs in recurrent waves. Eternal Sailor Venus had fallen to her knees, one hand firmly holding the left side of her chest as if struck by a phantom attack, or an old, painful wound suddenly remembered. Her other hand held the hilt of a dazzling sword that was easily recognized from battles long since passed. The inside of the blade was made of a strong, grey stone, while the double edge was sharp and made of shining metal. In this life, Venus has used it to end the life of Queen Beryl and Metallia. Now she could see one of her eyes reflecting in its face and saw the horror there.

Moments were starting to spiral back into their minds, these liberated from their hazy curtains. Balls, battles, endless daily training sessions and lazy summer days. Secrets they had shared and tears shed. Family and friends lost to time. Everything all the way to their last night during the Silver Millennium. She recalled the worst of those days.

They had died protecting their princess. Some of their attacker's familiar faces twisted with hate, whilst others were nameless villains bent on their destruction. One by one, they had fallen in battle. She had been the last soldier left standing, forced to watch as each of her friends and colleagues were murdered. She had watched helplessly as their enemies took pleasure in their demise. She had felt the fear and anger rise within her as the last of them came for her. She remembered the pain of betrayal as well. Eternal Sailor Venus sighed, a name stuck in the back of her throat.

The swish of cool fabric reached her ears and she looked up to find eyes full of understanding gazing upon her. She could see the difference in those eyes as two separate halves finally merging into one being. A life almost fulfilled and complete. Why did she feel so empty then?

"Minako?"

"No, I'm all right," the orange clad Senshi replied, laughing away her tears, and scrambled to her feet once more. "I was just surprised by everything, that's all."

"Are you sure?"

Her grip tightened appreciably around the hilt of her sword, but she kept her face clear. "Yes."

"All these memories," Mercury commented, shaking her head. "They're already so overwhelming."

"And this power." Jupiter held out her gloved hands and the others watched as bright spheres of electricity formed in each palm. "It's incredible. We don't have to summon it anymore. It's literally at our fingertips." As she said this the spheres crackled out of existence abruptly, and she sighed. "I can't hold it for long yet, though."

Luna and Artemis finally came to join them to spew out questions and concerns. They explained as much as they could to their feline friends. A few of the Senshi remained quiet to silently brood over revelations of those times when life had been so different. It was late in the night before they decided to part ways.

"We probably shouldn't linger here too long. People might see us," Luna put in.

"You're right. We should get ourselves some much-needed rest. A lot has been placed upon our shoulders this night. We shouldn't try to adjust to it all at once."

"Geeze Usagi, you've already begun to sound different."

"Be quiet, Mako-chan," the blonde queen stuck out her tongue.

"Well, I guess some things never change," Uranus muttered.

Without a word the group de-transformed, their power diminishing in sparkles of colored light. In a rush of wind, silver and gold light traveled from Usagi and Mamoru's feet to their heads, their elegant apparel replaced by their ordinary street clothes.

"Let's meet at the shrine tomorrow. Six o'clock okay for everyone?" Usagi asked and the group nodded their ascent. "Okay, goodnight guys."

Usagi and Mamoru remained behind until each of their friends disappeared into the night. As the evening grew silent and a sense of calm had re-asserted itself, they turned to each other, holding tightly onto one another's hands.

She smiled at him. "So that's how it happened."

"What?"

"The first time we met."

He chuckled, bringing her close. "I don't know which I like better. Having you throw a rumpled test paper at my head was quite the classic."

"Mamo-chan!" She laughed, playfully hitting him.

"Come on." He took her hand in his. "Let's go home."

The sound of laughter filled the hall as the elevator doors opened wide. Hand in hand, they stepped from its quiet looped musical refrain into the silent wing of the apartment block. The short blonde clung to his arm as he fidgeted with the keys, her soft-planted kisses on his neck tickling his skin.

"Usako, what's gotten you all excited?"

"Just some memories," she giggled.

"What are you remembering?" She stood on her tiptoes, leaning towards him, her soft breath and words sending shivers over him. When she was finished whispering, he smirked, quickly opening the door to push her inside.

"Well then, I guess that's a memory I wouldn't mind reliving. How about you?" he said as he grasped her around the waist.

"I guess it would be ok-" Her words whisked away as he swept her off her feet, his mouth finding hers in the dark. His feet barely managed to traverse the living room floor as they reached the plush couch to collapse in a tangle of limbs. He succumbed to memories once more, allowing these to feed his passion for the one woman he'd loved across lifetimes.

Every breath caressing his lips sent tingles all the way to his toes, her soft hands grasping his heart as firmly as she did his clothing. Her sighs grew louder in his ears. But all of a sudden, the moment was shattered. He felt her stiffen beneath him and a strangled cry passed through her soft lips. Immediately he released her, moving towards the end of the couch in surprise and concern.

Usagi pressed herself against the couch opposite. Her hands were folded across her chest and terror stormed across her face like the advance of a relentless army, her eyes like dreaded pools filling with tears. It was as if she had seen a monster, but she seemed to be looking at nothing in particular.

"Usa!" He slid across the couch next to her, gently putting his arm around her shaking shoulders. "Usagi what's wrong? Tell me what's wrong!"

"She, she-" she chattered, the memories flooding into her head, freezing her heart. His ancient strangled breaths whispered within her ears as the memory, and a witch's evil laughter, echoed inside the cave of her mind.

"She?"

"She killed you!" she screamed, her tears rushing freely from her eyes. "And I-I took your sword and I - Mamo-chan!"

He held her close as the pain flowed from her in anguished cries, the moments as fresh as the day they happened. She clamped her eyes shut as she placed her head against his chest, trying with all her might to force the images out of her mind, and the feelings from her heart.

"I always knew it happened, I remembered, but I never _felt_ it! Mamo-chan…it was awful," she cried between her tears and gently he caressed her long hair, bringing her closer to him.

"I'm sorry, Usako. I'm sorry," he repeated into her ear, his own tears brimming in his eyes.

.

The others had no intention of sleeping that night. The Inners quickly found their way to the shrine to have the warm paper walls welcome them as always. They kept their chatter as low key as possible, but the excitement proved too much to be expressed in idle whispers.

"I can't believe this happened," Makoto said. "I was wondering if we would ever reach Eternal, or if it was for Usagi alone. I can feel my power without transforming even more now, but I can't do more than make some static electricity."

"As Serenity said, it will take a little time to remember everything and adjust to all this. We might have our ultimate powers, but we still don't really know how to use them and we shouldn't push ourselves. I'm sure they will come to us like they have before," Ami said.

"Once we're in battle again," Makoto added.

"And how soon will that be?" Rei asked, and they fell silent, uncertain of the answer. "We still have battles to face, and Usagi is right. Something is coming. I can feel it, like the Earth is already trembling in anticipation. This might be bigger than anything we've ever done. Do you think we'll be ready?" Rei asked.

Ami shook her head. "I have no idea. We should be careful, though, I am not sure how this will affect us."

"What do you mean, Ami?" Makoto questioned.

"Well, in the case of 'reincarnation', no one has ever truly remembered their past selves. Some form of enlightenment perhaps, but every memory of their formers lives? We should take things slowly or it could quite possibly have a negative effect upon our psyche. We might be super heroes, but we're still humans."

"Oh, you think too much, Ami," Makoto waved her hand dismissively. "We have the experience of our past, the strength of our present, and the hope of the future. I think we'll be ready for anything."

"Perhaps you are right, Makoto. What do you remember so far?"

They began to discuss the past once again, slowly building the ancient timeline of their history. Minako remained silent, however. The bubbling girl was replaced by a somber woman. Slowly, she ran her fingers over the clean blade of the sword, eyeing her reflection. Her features had not altered to betray her true feelings, but inside she felt like a tree filled with ripe fruit, left barren and fruitless as the result of a heavy shaking.

Every dream that felt too real, every feeling of déjà vu, every battle reinforcing her place in the world that she didn't wish to believe—they were all now supported by her growing memories. The others, even with some painful memories remembered, could not yet see how this could affect them. The idea of melding with their past to learn their one, true destiny was appealing, but had they really considered how much the past might override their future? How many rules they may have broken, or how many things they would remember that their ancient queen died wanting them to forget? For them, the past was no longer a guessing game, and there was no avoiding it, no denying things happened the way they had. Only the truth remained. There was no going back.

"How can you guys carry on like this!" she finally exploded and three pairs of surprised eyes turned towards her.

"Minako..."

"Our whole world just got flipped upside down and you're talking about it as if they were simple scenes in a movie! They really happened. Now, not just to some girls in the far off past, but to us!"

"Minako, it's going to be all right," Rei said, reaching out to touch the other woman's shoulder, but Minako quickly jerked away. The hand of the priestess, like the last leaf of fall, the last dying hope before the cold of winter descended without chance of reprieve.

"Is that really what you should call me now? Which name is the right one? Who are we now? What have we truly done?" They fell into an uneasy silence, staring at one another, unsure. In the next room, the soft crackle of the fire finally reached their ears, its slow flames dwindling as the wood needed to rejuvenate it grew quite scarce. The fire was quickly being consumed by its own heat, letting fingers of darkness creep onto the walls. So too did their own dark thoughts emerge as uncertainty moved in like unwanted shadows.

Silently, the blonde stood with her sword firmly in her grasp. She moved passed them and the doors scratching painfully as she tore them apart and made her way out of the shrine.

In the confines of her apartment's dhower Minako placed her hands against the wall, allowing the steaming water to rush against the skin of her back. After storming out of the shrine, Minako transformed and ran as fast and as far as she could. Buildings and trees flashed by in an incoherent stream of dark colors as she tried to outrun the memories nipping at her heels. The power within her strides had taken her mind off the events of the night, at least for a while. That was until her lungs and legs began to burn with relentless fatigue. Nothing can be outrun forever. She knew it was well as anyone else now.

The water was scolding, but she paid it no heed. The jolt from the memories was slowly becoming less traumatic as the hours passed by, but she could not shake off the feeling, nor the bitter taste in her mouth. She knew she should not have blamed the others for their enthusiasm, for her other memories were strong and warm and pulled her in with their comfy happiness. There was much love and happiness to be remembered, for it had truly been a time of peace once.

The Princess of Venus had been correct when she stood before her future self hours ago. Minako felt more powerful, more complete, but there was a heavy burden attached to her new life. It took only one single memory to sum up her existence in the Silver Millennium, one single moment to regret her decision tonight. It was the true reason she felt such resentment and regret for what she had agreed to become. Minako's body shivered as tears began to mix with the water of the shower.

"Kunzite."

.

The Senshi stayed only a short while after Minako left. Alone, Rei walked the halls of the shrine, its quiet solitude seemingly doing its best to calm her worried mind. Minako was right. They had been treating their memories as if a new toy. Now she was beginning to feel the weight of their decision. Things were, and no longer would be, the same. It was an arbitrary thing to say considering their line of work and all they had seen, but this was different. She felt an anomaly coming that even the Sailor Senshi, magical protectors of the Earth, may not be prepared to endure.

With a frustrated sigh, Rei turned on her heels and headed back to the fire room. She needed to relax tonight, to let the answers come to her instead of seeking them out. As always, the doors opened for her and gratefully she removed her shoes and sat down. Gathering her hands before her in prayer, she shut her deep cinnamon eyes in concentration. The fire was as it had been for generations, patiently watching her as it moved fluidly. She reached out to the power within, whispering the words as she had done countless times before. Yet something unexpected occurred.

The fire streamed away from her, its mass growing into an angry inferno of scarlet. It moved and twitched menacingly like a great surge of wind had whirled through it. The priestess' eyes opened and immediately she fell away, staring in shock at the spectacle before her. Her mind reeled painfully from the mental attack of the fire as she tried to connect with it. She tried to focus on the sight before her and the flaming heat against her exposed skin. It refused to connect on this occasion, rejecting her request, pushing her away savagely as if it were itself afraid. The fire would have its revenge for her intrusion it seemed and leapt towards her feet with deadly digits.

"No!" The fire recoiled at the strong tone in her grandfather's voice. The mysterious inferno promptly settled back into its quiet crackling at his command. He quickly gathered the fallen priestess up with a strength she thought he no longer possessed, and pushed her out of the room.

"Rei!" her grandfather cried, gripping her shoulders. She gazed at his glaring eyes. "I felt the fire shake in my sleep. What happened?"

"Grandpa…the fire, it rejected me."

"Why would it do such a thing?"

She stared back into the silent room that gave the impression nothing had happened at all. "It didn't know who I was."

.

The next morning, Mamoru hit the alarm clock angrily. He had no desire to wake this early especially not after the events of last night. They had stayed up far into the night and he had held her close as her shining eyes gazed at a candle upon their dresser. Its flame continued steadily until a gust of wind from the window swept over its small form. Mamoru felt the same way. His mind slowly taking in every memory until one strongly shook the foundations of his being with its potency.

It had been a hard night and with a defeated sigh, he swung his legs over the side of the bed. There were no 'Sorry, but last night we received these ancient memories of our past where I was a prince and it was a little hard to deal with' excuses for the real world. He took only a few moments to attempt to steel himself for work and piece together the mask he wore for the rest of the world. He gazed upon the blonde beside him to give him the strength he needed. He inhaled deeply, and quietly began to get dressed.

He found the task a little difficult this morning, his hands still shaking due to the revelations of the previous night. Clumsily he fumbled one of his socks, and with a wry grin, blamed all those years spent near Usagi as an influence. Dropping upon his hands and knees, he searched for the runaway sock beneath the bed. Then his fingers made contact with something long forgotten, but immediately recognized. Slowly, he struggled to his feet, holding the wooden box usually light in his hands, but now heavy with memories and feelings. The souls of his old friends were locked inside- friends that had betrayed him, but who he had forgotten altogether in return. He wondered what they would think of his decision last night. Dismissing his nine to five duties, Mamoru found himself recalling the forgotten and broken duties of the past, and with a sigh lifted the lid.

The flurry of lights and surprised calls were enough to wake the blonde from her fitful slumber. Usagi yawned and stretched wildly, slowly opening her eyes. The odd number of bodies in the room immediately caught her attention, and she blinked away her sleepiness in surprise.

"Eek!" She yelled, pulling the sheets to her neck as she gazed in utter shock at those standing before her. "You!"

.

Across town, the Outers hadn't faired all that much better. They'd gathered at Setsuna's apartment and huddled on the Senshi's two fine couches or draped across her kitchen island. The group looked weary as if they had spent all night battling against a horde of evil villains, but only dreams and memories had made them instant insomniacs.

Michiru and Haruka sat next to each other, but their expressions and postures put them far away from the other. Their past was not as they had imagined and the new power of their completed forms surged through them raw and unchecked. They had always been sure in their senshi strengths, but they fought to keep the energy in since last night's revelations. The sealed emotions of the past had not made their struggle any easier, as well.

Hotaru and Setsuna, on the other hand, seemed to be coping well with the events of last night. The youngest Senshi calmly crunched on her cereal at the island, her feet swinging like she was on a park swing. The Time Senshi watched them all behind the brim of her coffee cup with knowing, haunting eyes.

"Could you pass me the orange juice please, Setsuna?" Hotaru asked and received a startled gasp from Michiru. The teen glanced over to find two widened pairs of eyes. "What?"

"That's the first time you've ever called her anything but Setsuna-mama," Michiru replied.

"Oh." Hotaru looked sheepishly at her oldest guardian. "I'm sorry?"

Setsuna shook her head. "It is nothing to apologize for. We're still a family, not matter what we call each other. Isn't that right, Haruka?"

"Yeah," Haruka quietly agreed, sneaking a glance at the siren beside her.

"We weren't back then," Hotaru commented and all eyes returned to her. "But we are now. We almost continued on the path of the past, but we were given a second chance. Let's stop wasting it by being depressed, okay?"

She gave Michiru and Haruka a meaningful look and seemed to release them from some unseen chain. Haruka laughed, letting go a shaking sigh.

"You're right, princess," she agreed and the young girl smiled with triumph. "The past just wasn't what we thought. But I guess it shouldn't be all that surprising considering the way we were at the beginning, of the things we agreed to do in this life."

"It's all moot now. You've changed for the better. With the past remembered, we can only appreciate what we have now even more. Don't let something you can't change control you," Setsuna advised.

"What about you, Setsuna? I noticed there was no one before you, like you had nothing to remember?" Haruka asked.

"It is true. I have existed as one soul from the beginning of the Silver Millennium to now. Everything you are now recalling I have never really forgotten. The only time I forgot who I was at all, was when I stopped time to save Chibi-Usa and was reborn by Neo-Queen Serenity's power."

"So, you made up this life here in Tokyo. You blended in with us when the time was right. It must have been lonely," Hotaru said as an afterthought. Silence descended upon the group. Setsuna only smiled, extending her hand towards the teenager's glossy hair.

"Yes, such was my fate. But it was all worth it in the end."

"Well, enough of this." Haruka slapped her hands upon her lap and stood up. "Hotaru's right. There's no sense in moping around. I'm going to make breakfast. What would you like, Michiru?"

Sea green eyes gazed into her partner's dark blue depths and found love there again. "The usual for me," Michiru said.

"I want pancakes, please," Hotaru smiled.

"You're already eating!"

"Being the Senshi of death, destruction and rebirth works up quite an appetite, thank you."

"Watch it," Haruka warned with a slant of humor in her eyes. "And for you, Setsuna?"

In her mind, the gray mist parted for the Senshi of time to reveal the stoic closed doors of Time. No longer did they bulge and shake as the timeline convulsed behind them. Changes had been made, repairs called forth, and now they stood in ominous silence. The Senshi and their royalty had but to wait, for now. For time does not stand still.

"Setsuna?"

She turned her eyes towards them expectantly. "I think you should turn on the TV first."


	7. Chapter 7

No one could wait until six o'clock. The urgent call from Haruka had startled the Inners out of their turbulent dreams, forcing them to push their singular problems out of the way as a new threat emerged. It wasn't long before they met at Setsuna's apartment and together sat in stunned silence before the glare of the television set.

"To recap what has happened for those just tuning in- at 5:30 Tokyo time last night, something similar to shooting stars were reported descending from the Moon. Scientists remain uncertain as to the precise origin of this phenomenon, but this is the best guess we have now. These beams of light seem to have traveled down to Earth and…" the newscaster paused to shake his head.

"Entered people. We have many eyewitness accounts all over the globe reporting this strange occurrence. They say the victims immediately began to display crescent moons on their foreheads and in some cases, different markings. Our research has led us to believe they are most likely the astrological symbols used to identify the different planets. In fact, one Tokyo citizen remarked on how similar the crescents looked compared to that of Sailor Moon's, who had gone M.I.A. in the past few years along with her team, until recently. There is no evidence yet to suggest these new people are linked with the Sailor Senshi, however."

"Those afflicted then began talking about a 'Silver Millennium' or a 'Queen Serenity.' Immediate action has been taken to round up these presumed 'aliens' for fear of the panic and possible danger they might represent. Those of us here in Tokyo are used to unique happenings since Sailor Moon and her team became known to us, so local authorities are taken a cautious but respectable approach to these newcomers. Unfortunately, other countries have not taken so lightly to this occurrence. Dozens of deaths have already been recorded in the Americas, Russia and Europe."

The newscaster's face cut away to a grainy videos of protests and violence from around the world, and some of the room's inhabitants gasped with horror and pain.

"They seem to be no immediate threat unlike the monstrosity that attacked Tokyo only a few days ago, and it is not known if these two events are related," the man continued. "Authorities are unsure if this incident is related to the recent attack of the 'Death Phantom' here in Tokyo, or something completely different."

The screen shifted to replay an old scene. Footage from the first time the Senshi had encountered the Black Moon Clan streamed in front of their eyes. For a moment, they were too stunned to see their younger selves. Watching the battle from afar jarred with their memories of the terrible conflict.

"Some of you may remember that the Death Phantom once visited Tokyo before and was supposedly defeated by the Sailor Senshi. We are not sure if he is gone for good this time as well. No one recounts seeing Sailor Moon during the latest skirmish either and wonder if her disappearances has anything to do with the newcomers. But please, stay calm. None of these beings have tried to hurt anyone in anyway as yet. They seem just as scared and confused as the rest of us. We will keep you up to date with any new information."

"What the hell is going on?" Haruka exclaimed.

"People with crescent moons on their foreheads, the planet symbols? Luna?"

"I'm not sure, Makoto," Luna answered the brunette.

"Where's Usagi-san and Mamoru-san?" Michiru questioned.

"I called them and they should be on their way. They sounded distracted," Ami, answered.

"I hope everything is okay," Minako said.

"I don't think anything is okay," Artemis muttered. "Tell me more about what happened on the Moon, every detail you can think of."

The door pushed open then to usher in Usagi and Mamoru as Minako was about to speak. "Where have you been? We have a serious problem," Makoto said impatiently.

"Another one?"

"What do you mean, Usagi-san?" Ami said.

"Usagi-san? Since when have you called me that?" Usagi blinked in surprise.

Ami shrugged. "I don't know. It just seems appropriate right now."

"Well, stop it. What's going on?" their leader asked.

"Watch."

The group fell silent as the newscaster repeated his report, this time adding local images and video of these so-called 'strange aliens' in Tokyo as they were led into police vans. Already people were crowding the streets, some shouting taunts and angry words, but most keeping their distance. Mamoru and Usagi looked at one another.

"My wish..." Usagi said softly.

"What about it?" Michiru questioned.

"I wished for the past to be re-awoken within us, in all of us. The Silver Crystal must've taken 'all of us' literally. My mother not only saved my court and I but she saved us all, every person on the Moon that day. The past wasn't brought back for us alone, but for everyone reborn here on Earth."

"There wasn't anyone left on the Moon when we got there," Haruka pitched in. "If it weren't for Hotaru dropping the glaive, our bones would be the only human remains up there right now."

"It does make sense," Luna said thoughtfully.

"We'll have to talk to one of these people first to make sure," Ami added.

"I think we can speed up the search," Mamoru muttered.

"What do you mean Mamoru-san?" the blue haired genius asked.

"That can wait until later. We have bigger things to worry about," Usagi interrupted. "We need to do something about the people out there. They don't deserve to be treated like criminals. We need to protect them and then we can worry about understanding what's happened."

"What should we do?" Hotaru asked.

"Perhaps," Mamoru broke the nervous silence. "It is time the Sailor Senshi were no longer so behind the scenes."

.

Umino had received the call in the middle of the night, his co-worker practically yelling about some strange lights falling from the sky and disappearing into people. His immediate, clear thought was another strange mystical attack from another life force bent on defeating the Sailor Senshi and taking over the universe. These things were nothing new to Tokyo, but the fact that it was happening everywhere compelled Umino out of his bed.

He found, much to his surprise, the streets crammed with people even this late in the night. Chaos was running rampant all over the city. Some stores, magically fixed by Sailor Moon's power, were once again in disarray, vandalized and looted before his eyes. Crowds gathered waving placards with pictures of aliens with slashes through them, while others preached about the end of the world. He had never seen so many police, not even at every End of the World event before this.

When he finally made it to work, he was bombarded by loud voices and ringing telephones as he entered the studio. The place was in total disarray. People ran around, waving their hands with papers and loud directions. It was never quiet in here, but this was more than a buzz. It was a tornado of activity and a sense of being overwhelmed.

He spent the next four hours rummaging through old files, giving orders and passing on information as quickly as possible to others. There were files and files on the Sailor Senshi and what they knew about their battles, but he could find no clues. No one was more of an expert on the mystical group of girls than Umino was. He was beginning to think this might be something else entirely, perhaps an alien invasion. He almost rolled his eyes at the thought of little green men, but how could he say that was implausible with everything else this city had seen?

"Hey, Umino-chan!" He turned to find his co-worker, Keitaro, with a camera in hand. "Kenji-san wants us to go to the streets and get more footage."

Umino sighed, grateful for the chance for more information, and quickly grabbed his things. "Let's go."

He could see the flashing lights long before they reached the square. Police cars and barricades stood in their way preventing them getting any closer, but the scene couldn't be blocked off completely. Umino watched as the police fought to keep the growing crowd away from those being loaded into unmarked vans. They looked no different from anyone else in the growing light of morning except for the strange marks on their foreheads.

"What do you think is going on? Another evil invasion for the Sailor Senshi to handle?" Keitaro said behind the camera's lens. "If it was something serious like that you would think the Sailor Senshi would already be here, right?"

"That's why I think this is something different besides an attack. I think-" It was at that exact moment that Umino spotted a familiar face in the crowd of unfortunates. "Naru-chan!"

Her big eyes quickly found his and even from this far away he could see the fear in them. He watched as she wretched herself free from the line of the persecuted and raced in his direction. He met her at the police blockade, the group of enforcers behind her lighting her red hair on fire with their angry flashlights.

"Umino-chan!" She gripped his shirt tightly, her eyes frantic. He could not take his gaze off the mark on her forehead, its shining form astounding him. The crescent moon shone in the early light of day on its own accord.

"You're one of them?"

"Umino-chan, you have to help me! I'm not a threat. You've known me forever! But there's something else. No!" By that time, the group of shouting police had reached them, and he felt her grip no more as they yanked her off him. They were pulling her back towards the line, while more of them tugged at his shirt from behind as well. "Umino-chan!"

With a strength he didn't know the young woman had, she pulled herself free from her captors and raced toward him again, this time getting close enough to whisper in his ear. He felt her quickened breath on his skin for only a moment before she was taken away more forcibly this time. He watched as she was bundled into the van with the others, its heavy doors shutting on her frightened eyes. She had left him with only more questions and a troubled mind. And a name.

"Usagi."

.

Umino and Keitaro returned to the office with their clip ready to be broadcast on the morning news. He made sure Naru wasn't in the footage and for a long time he sat in his quiet office, head pressed firmly between his hands. The vision of Naru, his bubbly and innocent friend being rounded up like a criminal, continued to plague his thoughts. More importantly though was whom she had spoken of. Usagi.

Umino couldn't remember the last time he had seen the lively blonde. They had parted ways after high school. There had been the wedding and a few times around the office visiting her…

Umino dropped his hands to his desk, and looked to his closed office door with a strange expression.

He didn't have to knock on the other man's door. It was thrown wide open with people coming in and out as if it was a major freeway. Quietly, he merged into its traffic and soon came face to face with the man in charge of the Tokyo news Channel 6.

"Kenji-san, I need to speak with you," he said in a shuttering voice.

Usagi's father had an almost irremovable frown upon his brow since the previous night as he continuously pushed his glasses into place fervently. Umino had been afraid of him every time the young teenager had ventured to Usagi's house and found a completely new reason to be afraid of him when Kenji had become his boss.

"I'm a little busy, if you hadn't noticed!" Kenji snapped.

"I know, but," Umino moved closer, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's about Usagi-chan."

Umino watched as all movement in the room stopped for Kenji. His bright eyes gazed at Umino's alone for a moment, before he cleared his throat loud enough for the whole office to hear.

"All right everybody, out!" It took only a few moments before Kenji slammed the door behind them. "Now, what is it?"

"I was about to start filming when I saw Naru there behind the barricade."

"Naru?" Kenji repeated as he sat down. "She is one of Usagi's friends, right?"

Umino nodded. "She, she was rounded up with the others. She had one of those marks upon her forehead."

"Oh, I see," Kenji nodded. "Well I'm sorry for her. Things are going to be awful for those people if someone doesn't step up soon, I feel it. But what has that to do with Usagi?"

"I don't know, but all Naru said was she wasn't a threat and then she mentioned Usagi's name. She seemed really desperate about it."

Kenji sat silent for a moment, his mouth hidden behind his hand. He seemed to be fighting with something. "Umino-" The phone interrupted Kenji, and with a sigh, he picked it up. He listened attentively to the call, and at one point shot his eyes to Umino's face in surprise.

"What's going on?" Umino asked once the call was over.

"It's the Sailor Senshi."

.

Umino fought his way through the crowds as if his life depended on it. He could see them standing above the crowd but his mind wouldn't be satisfied until he could see up close. He hadn't stopped for hours now, but he couldn't rest until Naru's haunting face was pushed from his mind. In the women standing before them now, he knew he might find some of the answers he was looking for.

Eternal Sailor Venus' hands twitched behind her back. She eyed the growing throng nervously as she stood on the steps above them. The late morning light streamed over the city before her and she took a long, deep breath. Neptune and Uranus surrounded her and she took comfort in them, as if they were strong pillars holding her in place. The remaining Sailor Senshi, Usagi and Mamoru, had melted into the crowd in civilian clothes a short distance away. From the steps of city hall those familiar eyes watched her and she cast a fleeting smile in their direction. They thought it best that only a few of them address the crowds and that the one that spent time in the spotlight do the talking. When the crowded streets reached their peak, Mamoru nodded to the senshi in gold.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Venus said into the mic before her, her hands clenched tightly around the edge of the podium. The multitude around her immediately stilled, but the constant flash of cameras jostled her. "I and the other Senshi know you must be concerned about what is happening around the world and in Tokyo. I am here to personally explain that what is happening has nothing to do with the recent attack of the Death Phantom, or of any future attack by an evil force. These people pose no danger to any of us. They are still your friends, your family and your loved ones. Things have changed recently, and things are going to continue to change. I know what happens when change moves too quickly. We become afraid, angry, and hostile towards our brothers and sisters. But we can't let that happen now. If we can't work together then we might lose sight of our humanity. We must insist that all criminal or violent actions against these people stop. We are willing to work with authorities in the care of our friends as we can help guide them through this transition and also protect everyone's interests."

As Venus finished her speech there was a moment of silence before the stairs erupted with a hundred voices.

"Sailor Venus, where did these people come from?"

"Are you really aliens?"

"Tell us who you really are!"

"You've been in the shadows for so long, why come out now?"

"Where's Sailor Moon?"

"Please!" Venus shouted, keeping a neutral, but friendly face. "I know you have questions, but I cannot answer them all at this time. In a short moment, I will be meeting with the city's officials to further discuss the treatment and care of our comrades. Hopefully we can come to a peaceful resolution. Thank you."

Umino watched as Sailor Venus, Neptune and Uranus walked to the top of the stairs and disappeared inside away from the constant questions and calls. The reporters and cameramen were in a frenzy to return with their footage or to find a way to sneak inside. Amongst it all, Umino looked with wide-eyes at a group near rear of the crowd. He could spot those odangos from anywhere and Umino made his way towards Usagi. He noticed a few others with her that he also recognized, especially the tall Mamoru clutching his wife's hand. Just as Umino found himself within yelling distance, he watched as they disappeared into an alleyway.

What was Usagi doing at the press conference, he wondered? She never seemed like one to involve herself in politics or current affairs. The petite woman had looked troubled as well. Naru's eyes burned into his mind, Usagi's name echoing as her words flowed from trembling lips. Umino fought his way through the crowd with his camera in hand, following carefully on their heels. He needed answers.

.

"So, do you think they'll listen?"

The shrine had become their official headquarters again after a few peaceful years of it just being the place to be together. They gathered after the speech, biting their lips or banging their knees together while their minds raced with possibilities. The Senshi thought of their three companions who now fought for the freedom of long lost citizens and comrades. It had been hours since Minako, Haruka and Michiru had stood on the steps and those gathered were growing nervous.

"You know what we'll have to do if they refuse use. We're all going to need to storm into those offices together and give them a piece of our minds. I really doubt they'd stand up to all of us at once, don't you think?" Makoto said, crackling her knuckles again with glee.

"We hope it won't come to coercion of that nature, Makoto," Luna said.

"Where did Mamoru-san and Usagi-chan go?" Rei asked. "There were here a half an hour ago and I didn't catch where they were going."

"They said they had something else important to show us and would be back soon," Ami informed them.

"I hope this works," Hotaru said.

"I hope we made the right choice in who we sent to negotiate. Those three aren't exactly known for being excessively diplomatic," Rei voiced her concerns.

"Maybe not, but they know how to persuade. Have you ever been grounded by Michiru or Haruka? Or tried to tell Minako no?" Hotaru said and the others laughed.

Usagi and Mamoru finally arrived then with eyes sweeping the room, their steps hesitant. Their leader looked relieved for a moment as Mamoru glanced outside behind him as he half shut the door, seeming to motion to someone beyond.

"Good. Minako isn't back yet," Usagi said.

"What's up, Usagi-chan?" Rei asked.

"Remember what Mamoru said about not having to wait long to talk to one of those people? Well, guys," she looked to the Inners, "try not to freak out too much, okay?"

"What are you talking ab-?"

With one fluid motion, Mamoru pushed the door to its limits to reveal what, or who, stood just behind its facade. Four men stood in the light of day, four men that the Inner Senshi could never forget. Images of days passed, both ancient and more recent, flashed through their minds at seeing the familiar group of soldiers before them once more.

Unheeding Usagi's words, the Senshi instantly were on edge. After the shock had passed, they rose to their feet to face the first of their enemies in this life, their henshin pens gripped tightly. Hotaru rose with others even if her face gave away her confusion. Setsuna was the only one to remain seated, her gaze peering at the two legendary groups of the Moon and Earth with a muted interest.

"This is impossible," Ami muttered.

"Oh dear," Luna said.

"This should be good," Makoto promised, the light of battle in her eyes.

"Please everyone, calm down. I can explain," Mamoru raised his hand. After a few tense moments, the Senshi agreed and put away their transformation wands. Mamoru turned to usher the group of trespassers into the once cozy room and closed the door behind them.

"Who are they?" Hotaru asked.

"The Shitennou," Rei ground out.

Even if now those of Mamoru's guard wore modern clothes, their identities could not be masked. They had not changed since their last encounter. The Shitennou's features and stances were otherwise the same. Zoisite stood a little behind Nephrite, his quick eyes darting over those in the room with an excited curiosity. Nephrite kept his attention on the shaking Senshi brunette who might at any moment attack him. Jadeite, the first to plague their lives here, had the audacity to smirk at them. Kunzite remained stoic as ever in stature.

"You will remember them soon," Mamoru said to Hotaru. "We might not have remembered them yet if we hadn't already faced them in this life. We fought them long before we met you. They served under Queen Beryl and Metallia."

"_The enemy? _The one that destroyed everything?" Hotaru repeated. "Why aren't we doing something about them then?"

"During the Silver Millennium they were my generals, my guardians," Mamoru continued. "They were fooled by Beryl and turned against me. In this life, the same thing happened. But once we defeated Metallia, I was given a box with four stones inside, the essences of my four generals. I've kept it all this time. When I woke up this morning I found them, alive and in the flesh."

"This must have something to do with Usagi-san's wish," Artemis suggested. "After all, they were on the Moon that day. What do you remember?"

"We remember everything," the tallest amongst them answered. Kunzite's eyes turned to the Inner Senshi then, searching their faces. "From the past and from what we did here."

"And do you think we can actually trust them this time around?" Makoto punctuated her question with another crack of her knuckles.

"We've all betrayed one another, if I remember correctly. We didn't have a choice and neither did the Shitennou. Perhaps we can understand something of what they are now going through," Setsuna spoke up.

They fell silent after her words, but Makoto continued to glare at the chestnut-haired general.

"Hey, if the Shitennou were revived do you think it's possible that-" Ami's question was interrupted as the door was thrown open anew and the last remnants of their party trickled back into the shrine.

"I think I managed to lose anyone on my tail. Michiru and Haruka were right behind me. You won't believe what happ-" Minako's canter into the room was immediately halted as her eyes scanned the new arrivals. Confusion turned to shock, but that surprised quickly burst into pained anger. Her fists shook at her sides as she gazed at the white haired Shitennou. Everyone watched as Kunzite's eyes turned towards her and the slate of his features morphed to match her tortured expression.

Minako took a step forward that spoke of a boundless need to rush into the soldier, whether to pummel him or smother him with needy caresses. In the silence that had fallen on them all, it was impossible not to feel the aching emotion that escaped Kunzite's lips as he spoke one word. "Loni."

The Senshi of Love gasped, memories and conversations long since passed rushing through her mind with that simple utterance. Her forward motion ceased and she took a stumbling step back, as if his voice had pushed her with an unrelenting force. Her gazed turned cold and broken.

"That's not my name anymore!" she yelled and rushed back out into the day.

"Minako, wait!" Usagi went flying after her.

Usagi had a hard time keeping up with her friend and found herself cursing the four donuts she ate that morning. The runaway Senshi finally collapsed in the lush gardens of the shrine, her chest heaving and her hair coming undone. Usagi approached slowly, unsure as to the state of mind of her beloved friend.

"What are they doing here?" Minako asked quietly.

"I brought them all back. I brought everything back. I didn't know this would happen. When I saw them for the first time, saw him, I remembered what happened in the past. What the two of you had. I didn't know what to do, how I should tell you. Minako-chan, I'm so sorry!"

"Don't, please. I-I can't think!" Usagi fell to her knees and tightly wrapped her arms around Minako. The blonde with the bow accepted the embrace with a deep-seated cry and Usagi held her friend close. They clung to one another, two princesses from different lands, but both bound by a love stretching over centuries.

"It'll be okay, Minako. It'll be okay."

They sat for a while, a modern dressed woman holding a troubled Sailor Senshi. In the bushes close by a shadowed figured watched on. The reporter's glasses caught the reflection of the sun as he watched a moment not meant for an outsider's eyes, but a moment that would change everyone's lives forever.

"Usagi…"


	8. Chapter 8

While the two golden Senshi held each other outside, Michiru and Haruka returned to the shrine. They took in the dismayed looks around the room, and the new group of men crammed into the confines, with caution. It was Mamoru who urged them to relay the message of the meeting as he put a comforting hand upon the tall, alabaster Shitennou next to him.

"They didn't agree to give us complete control of the others," Haruka revealed. "They don't trust them, and they don't really trust us for various reasons."

"Why not?" Makoto demanded.

"Well, they don't really know anything about us. They don't really want to deal with two groups of people they can't control. And, even though we've saved the day and the world lots of times, we don't exactly have a great record with politics or public relations," Haruka responded.

"They want us to work together for now, but do believe us about the others not being a threat. No one wants to really believe their friends and family are going to hurt anyone. There's just a lot of pressure from all sides," Michiru continued.

"So what do they want from us?" asked Ami.

Haruka sat down next to Hotaru, although out of the corner of her eye continued to watch the Shitennou. "The authorities are going to keep everyone with a mark on them at the soccer arena for now. The others will have access to bathrooms and food there as well as shelter. It's not an easy place to get into from the outside, so they should be well protected too. They want some of us to be there at all times to remind the public that we're not afraid of what's happening and offer our support."

"And to remind people not mess with our friends, either." Makoto added.

"Yes, that too," Michiru agreed. "There will be police and guards there, but most people might think twice before messing with them _and_ the Sailor Senshi."

"I don't think it will be that difficult to convince the citizens of Tokyo to calm down," Luna said. "Our most difficult challenge will be convincing the other countries not used to magical events. While some of us are at the stadium, we need to make sure we're still reaching out to the other refugees as well."

"Luna and I will work on connected with some of our contacts overseas. Haruka and Michiru, I'm sure you have friends around the globe that could help us too." Artemis said and the two nodded. He cast a sideways glance in the direction of the Shitennou and looked like he might be sick for a second. "I know Minako still has friends in London to contact."

A silence squished uncomfortably against everyone in the room as eyes darted. No one seemed willing to speak for a few moments until Haruka made a disgruntled sigh. "Okay one, who are these guys? And two, where are Usagi and Minako?"

"Well," Luna cleared her throat. "It's quite a long story."

.

The burden of their personal lives had to come second to the threat looming over the refugees from the Silver Millennium, but memories continued to waltz into their minds unannounced like ungracious partners. Ami could feel these separate halves slowly melting into one. Her mind reeled and for the second time that day, she swallowed a couple of painkillers. Adding to her discomfort, something unseen loomed with deadly intent in the air as well. At this delicate stage of new birth, she doubted their strength to contend with it all. So she set to work, her blue eyes searching the streaming lines of code and data, star charts and geographical maps strewn over her small workspace.

The shrine had indeed become their own quiet sanctuary but also a makeshift prison. The appearance of four powerful men was impossible to hide from Rei's grandfather any longer, but they were surprised to find he took the news quite calmly. The Shitennou were set up in the modest guest quarters, far away yet too close for some. The Sailor Senshi and their leaders worked out a rotating schedule that only added to their stress. Two would be at the arena, two guarding the perimeter from afar, while another pair remained at the shrine. Mamoru, as Tuxedo Kamen, spent most of his time downtown with Sailor Pluto as they tried to reach out to foreign affairs. Someone also stayed with Usagi at all times, who did not appreciate the idea of being babysat, but knew it was not yet the time to reveal herself as queen.

"What are you working on?" So intent on her work she hadn't noticed him standing beside her.

With a start, she looked up into his green eyes. "Zoisite-san."

"I'm sorry if I frightened you."

"Don't worry, everyone does it," she huffed. "I'm reviewing logs I made during the Black Moon crisis a few years ago and trying to find any useful bits of information that might help us in our current situation."

He watched her type quietly away at the computer for a few awkward moments. It was strange to have him here again and the Shitennou not be concerned with stealing energy or attacking her. Part of her was unconsciously suspicious, as if this was just another disguise of his. She could feel his soft gaze upon her quick moving fingers.

"The Black Moon crisis?" Zoisite repeated.

"Yes, the next nemesis after our encounter with Metallia. They came from the future and planned to take over the Crystal Kingdom by re-writing our past."

"That sounds like a lot of work," he mused and sat down next to her, not seeming to notice the blush creeping up her cheeks at being so close. "Did you venture into the future?"

Ami nodded at his question, not trusting her voice for a moment. "I often wondered if time travel was possible. There are all kinds of theories on it and I suppose it would make sense if Sailor Pluto guards time so. I had always thought it would be dangerous, though. It has proved difficult, knowing our future and having it effect every decision we make."

"What was it like?"

"It was beautiful. Peaceful. Like the Silver Millennium before-" she stopped herself, her cheeks during a darker shade. This time Zoisite noticed her discomfort and gave a small laugh.

"It's okay. I'm not going to bite," he said flippantly, knocking his ponytail over his shoulder.

"I'm, I'm sorry. It's just been a little overwhelming."

"I can imagine. You get all your memories back, there's people out there that want to kill all of us 'Others' if they could. There's people in _here_ that want to kill me. How do you think I feel?" he pouted.

Ami giggled at his expression and felt some of her concern melt away. "But at least everyone is paying attention to you."

"There we go. That's much better," he said, grinning, and Ami had to agree. "Can you still do that thing?"

"What 'thing'?"

"When you were reading something, or using a lot of data, you used to create snowflakes out of images and numbers. We could move them around and put them where we wanted them to go. You could work through equations without ever touching a computer or paper. When you really tried, you could make some things move, like a prancing horse."

Ami gazed at him, amazed. "I had no idea, I don't know."

"Well you have your memories back, right?"

"Yes, I suppose so. Let me see…" She dug into the deep of her mind to uncover the long buried talents of her Silver Millennium past. She could remember being there with Zoisite and the others. She had made pretty ice shapes for the young Moon Princess to chase after or targets for the other Senshi to practice with. She remembered making something delicate and beautiful for the Shitennou who had become a close friend.

Dipping into her forgotten powers, Ami concentrated at the numbers streaming down her laptop. She pictured them floating in front of her and breathed out an icy breath. Snowflakes began to form out of nowhere and took the shape of numbers and letters and Zoisite made a gleeful noise beside her.

"You did it!"

She let the snow fall to the floor and reached out to take Zoisite's hand. They both looked surprised at her boldness before she cup her hand over his. Closing her eyes, she recreated her gift. Pulling her hand away revealed an intricate ice lily. Light cast through it, making the item glisten and reflect a hundred colors.

The two ancient friends smiled at one another and despite his best efforts, Zoisite couldn't help if the ice in his heart melted to collect against his eyelids. "Thank you, Sedna."

"It's Ami now."

"Yes, this is definitely going to be interesting."

"What's going on?" A steely voice interrupted their quiet moment. Minako stood with her hands on her hips near the door, her bright eyes peering at Zoisite accusingly.

"Oh, is it time already?" Ami said, quickly picking up her items from the table. It was her turn to visit those at the stadium. She would have a few hours there to investigate their stories and treatment before another shift of watching from afar. Her head was tired of all the duties, numbers and memories rumbling through it, but there was nothing for it.

"Let me help. I'm sure you could use a partner to help collect data from the others," Zoisite offered.

"No," Minako answered before Ami's lips could part. "You and the others must stay here."

"But it's so very dull here. I've already spent enough time cooped up with those heathens. I promise I won't cause too much trouble. Just direct me to wherever you got those shoes and I will behave," Zoisite pleaded, his eyes round.

Minako's lip twitched at the sight, but she held her ground. "No one is leaving."

The youngest Shitennou stood up, all gentler emotions removed from his face. He looked the part of his station as he gazed at her now, a small sneer on his lips. "You are not my master, Venus. If I really wanted to leave what would you do to stop me?"

Her eyes flashed dangerously. "I killed you once, Zoisite. I don't have any problem with doing it again."

"You-"

"Minako-chan, Zoisite-chan, please," Ami's quiet voice broke through and she dared step between the dangerous blondes. "This isn't necessary. I'll see you tomorrow, Zoisite. I'm sure I will have a lot of data for both of us to go through. Goodbye, Minako-chan. Rei-chan is outside doing some of her chores if you need her."

Ami quickly stepped through them and out the door and soon the two warriors were left alone. For a moment neither moved, two iron pillars pulling equally at one another. However, the reborn leader of the Inner Senshi was the more persistent this time. Zoisite conceded, huffing indignantly as he stormed back down the hallway where he resided with the other Shitennou.

Minako took her place in Ami's seat and after a moment allowed her eyes to falter. She sighed, releasing the knot inside her chest. The shrine was quiet and its tender walls let her hear deeply enough to reach their rooms. His rooms. Their voices came to her ears in confused muffles, but there were distinctly three. She smiled smugly as Zoisite entered the room, his voice high with indignation. He was always a bit of a crybaby.

She couldn't hear their conversation beyond that as they must have settled into whispers. She could tiptoe across the long hallway and find out, but she wouldn't be able to face what was inside. Minako kept waiting, wondering if his footsteps would stride against the wood to haunt her. She was sure her treatment of Zoisite would grate against Kunzite's nerves, for the eldest Shitennou had always looked at him like a brother. However, the shrine fell silent and she frowned, disappointed. She had to remind herself it was the best if they avoided one another. With so much at stake, Minako couldn't afford to be undone by his clear eyes or soft touches. So she kept her distance, just like she had long ago.

"And that worked out so well last time," she muttered to herself as she sunk into the chair with a sullen grimace.

.

Rei wiped her brow with the wide, white sleeve of her haori. She propped her loyal broom up against the wall of the shrine before stooping to pick up a small basket. Wooden sandals clicked against the worn stone path leading to the koi pond. With practice grace, she sat on the edge and gazed down into the rippling waters.

Gold, red and white fish swam beneath the surface unconcerned with the world at large. Gazing at her reflection, she wished she felt the same. Smudges were beginning to appear under her violet eyes. The miko took a handful of kernels from the basket and tossed them into the water. The mouths of the fish opened wide to accept her gift, but she stopped paying attention to them. The last few days were taking their toll on all of them and she wondered how much longer it could go on before they broke. She worried they wouldn't be prepared for what was to come and lamented the fact she couldn't consult the fire. It still bared her entrance.

She slapped the surface of the water in a fit, distorting her image to match the thoughts fracturing in her mind.

"It's good to see some emotion from you finally," a voice grated against her ears and she didn't bother to look where he stood.

"Go bother someone else, Jadeite," she responded, her words dripping with annoyance.

"Come now, that's no way to treat your guests." He came to stand on the other side of the pond with hands lost in pockets and she could only imagine a devious smile on his lips. She could see his reflection in the water, but tried not to concentrate on it.

She refused to acknowledge him further as she threw more food to the waiting koi. Rei wanted to escape from his presence altogether, but leaving the pond first would seem like a victory for the flaxen haired Shitennou, and she couldn't stand for that. Her recollections of Jadeite in this life were not many, but for the short time he'd been in her life was mostly a torment. The Far-East Commander of Beryl's army had been ruthless and cold, and she did not regret burning him to cinders for what he'd done. The memories and feelings of the past were a little more complicated.

"So you're a shrine maiden, huh?" he mused. "Kind of a downgrade from the all-powerful Fire Oracle from the Silver Millennium. If I ever saw her cleaning, dusting and feeding fish, I think I would have fainted."

"I do more than just that," she retorted. "My grandfather and I exhume demons. I perform rituals for people and make charms and create Ofuda for protection. I use the fire of Earth to see visions and read people's fortunes. Does that please you?"

He held up his hands in mock defense. "Who am I to judge?"

"My thoughts exactly," she replied, sniffing indignantly. She watched as he settled down, his strong hands gripping the edge of the pool fiercely.

"So what kind of charms do you sell, Priestess?" he asked. She couldn't imagine why he would care about any of this, about her, but she found herself answering anyways.

"Love charms, mostly," she replied and they both rolled their eyes. "All sorts of different things. Charms to do better in school, charms to run faster or improve a skill. Charms of strength and charms of remembrance."

"And do you make charms to forget?" The lack of malice or sarcasm in his voice made her look up finally. His tone spoke of a wistfulness and a quiet longing. Jadeite was transfixed upon the glistening water and she wondered if he truly wished for an answer. Either way, she did not give one.

Despite her previous protests, Rei collected her things and retreated back to the shrine. In the pool's reflection, Jadeite's gaze had shaken something deep within her. She had seen the same look in her own eyes.

.

"Makoto?" The Senshi of thunder smiled as Eternal Sailor Mercury approached.

"Good, I was getting tired of staring at nothing." Jupiter yawned, stretching her hands high above her head. Mercury came to join her by the edge of the roof. Much of the city spread out before them. The light of day was quickly giving way to the neon signs and artificial shine of Tokyo at night. The stadium was nestled only a few blocks away and in clear sight. A few protestors mingled outside, but they lacked the zeal necessary to pose any threat.

"How was your work in the stadium?" Jupiter asked.

"It's progressing well. There are four hundred and fifty-six total and I was able to catalog about twenty of them today. It seems that out of all the other countries, we have the most refugees concentrated in one place. It's not that surprising since Usagi-san is here, after all. Queen Serenity would want to keep us all together if she could."

"That's not a lot of people for a whole kingdom," Jupiter remarked. "Even if you take into account the other places people have shown up. They're not everywhere, just a few major places like Russia, Europe and America. There were more people in the Silver Millennium than what we've seen so far, right?"

"Yes, but-" Mercury cleared her throat as long ago emotions threatened to choke her. "There were plenty of us off world at the time. We had people on Earth, those that remained on Venus, and the inhabitants of our space stations. Not to mention those battling on ships with Beryl's fleet. Anyone not on Lunar soil at the time of Queen Serenity's wish would have been left behind, dead or alive."

"So what happened to the rest of them?"

"Uranus, Neptune and Pluto awoke Saturn and she destroyed the remaining pieces of the Silver Millennium. They could have been reborn decades or centuries before we were born. Or maybe they haven't been born yet. Queen Serenity's power must have saved the Outer Senshi and made sure they were reincarnated around the same time as us. There's no way we'll ever be completely sure who is missing since there is no remaining census from those days. We'll just have our memories and the information we can gather now."

"We know some are missing already," Jupiter said, her voice melancholy. The first thing each of the Senshi had done was scour the throng of those in the arena for their long lost family members. Each of them once had parents and in some cases siblings, but they were nowhere to be found.

"They could be elsewhere," Mercury suggested, hopeful.

"Maybe. But I know some of my brothers were off world at the time," Jupiter said and then shook her head. "My brothers. It seems strange to call them that. I don't have any family."

The tall brunette felt a hand inside hers and turned as the water Senshi smiled. "Of course you do."

"Thanks, Ami-chan. I guess I'm just a little tired and it's making me edgy," Jupiter responded, squeezing the warm hand in hers.

"Me too, but we'll face whatever comes together. Get home and get some rest."

"Right. Bye, Ami-chan."

.

"Well, this seems a little familiar, doesn't it?" Their rooms were modest and accommodating, but the Shitennou still felt uncomfortable. Like sardines let loose from their can only to be netted. They were allowed to walk the perimeter of the shrine, but even Mamoru thought it best if they remain in one spot for now. There was too much confusion already and who knew what the return of another former enemy might do the city if they were recognized. The idea seemed ridiculous to the Shitennou, but in this time they understood the need for caution. Yet understanding did not always bring acceptance.

"Last time the Sailor Senshi weren't really our guards. We just weren't allowed to go anywhere without them! Do you remember the first time we saw them?" Zoisite asked, his eyes taking on a dreamy light.

"We thought they were angels," Nephrite recalled. "And when they trained with us we thought they were powerful goddesses."

Jadeite grunted. "These girls are not the women we remember."

"No, they're something more," Zoisite argued as his eyes found the delicate, frozen flower on a table nearby. "The people we knew are gone, but they're not forgotten. A lot of their characteristics are still the same, but they're completely new too. We're the only ones that haven't changed here."

"We had lives here once, don't forget," Nephrite said. "Somewhere out there are our families, the places we used to visit, and the schools we went to. It's all a little hazy, but I can remember bits and pieces of my life before she-" the dark haired Shitennou stopped himself, his eyes suddenly blazing like a match struck. "_Her_. If I saw her now I'd-"

"If you saw her now, she'd only snap her fingers and put you back under her spell," Jadeite reminded. "Don't blame her for all of this. She didn't force us to make the blood oath. We went to Beryl willingly at first."

"Some of us more than others," Zoisite mused, receiving an icy stare.

"Zoi-"

"Enough," Kunzite declared and the two complied, albeit with a seething touch of unwillingness. "We have enough issues at hand without us bickering between one another, would you not agree? The sorceress is dead and we have our true master back. We must simply wait until whatever dark cloud is hanging over the others to pass and then perhaps our own healing can begin."

"I'm kind of amazed at the restraint they've shown so far. Last time I was here, Sailor Jupiter made a mess of me without much hesitation," Nephrite said. "I think killing me is one of her favorite pastimes."

"The Outer Senshi don't seem to mind us much," Zoisite said cheerfully.

"I can only imagine it's because we didn't murder them in a past life," commented Jadeite.

"Ah!" Zoisite suddenly exclaimed and bolted upright, flailing his arms in the air. "I can't take it anymore. Ami should've let me go with her."

"Who is Ami?"

"Sailor Mercury of course! Someone release me from this papyrus prison!" the young general demanded dramatically.

"Will you please stop it?" Jadeite said, grasping the bridge of his nose.

"There's so much to see out there and so very little of what I haven't already seen in this room for hundreds of years. And I can only assume the fashion got tons better than what we were wearing in the 90s. Do you seriously remember those outfits? I thought our winter uniforms were infuriating."

"Zoisite, be quiet! If I have to hear about shoes one more time," Nephrite punctuated his open threat by hurling a blue pillow at his companion's head.

Zoisite caught it with ease and held it far from his face, a mesmerized look on his face. "Is that why they call them throw pillows?"

Nephrite rose from his chair to capture Zoisite in a headlock, but the nimble Shitennou squealed and ducked to hide behind Kunzite.

"I'm mostly innocent!" Zoisite stated.

"Please sit down and be careful. The last thing we need is a furious fire Senshi," Kunzite mediated. Nephrite began to return to his chair until he noticed a pink tongue sticking out at him and mischievous glint coming from Zoisite's eyes.

"That's it!"

As they began to tousle, the door opened to reveal their prince. Mamoru paused at the threshold with food bags and a drink carrier in tow, and a befuddled expression on his face as he viewed his Shitennou in a grappling state of disarray.

"I hope I'm not interrupting?" At his voice the Shitennou separated instantly and bowed to their ruler.

"We weren't expecting you, Master," Kunzite said with respect. "We're sorry to greet you in such a manner."

Mamoru chuckled. "Think nothing of it. I would be going crazy if I was stuck in this place, too. I'm sorry if you're feeling trapped."

"It's all right, we understand why," Nephrite replied.

"Mostly," Zoisite muttered, receiving an elbow to the ribs when Mamoru wasn't looking. Their old friend placed the food on the coffee table and it was then they could smell the intoxicating aromas from within. Silently, they congregated around the table and began to pass out rations. Zoisite took a bite of his cheeseburger and leaned back into the chair, a look of abandonment on his face. "Oh, I did miss fast food."

"Hopefully soon we'll get all this refugee business sorted out and then we can concentrate on the future," Mamoru said as he watched them eat. "Setsuna and I had a pretty successful web conference with a few important people in the United States today."

"Setsuna?" Nephrite said around a mouthful of fries.

"Sailor Pluto," Mamoru explained. "Maybe I should give you an updated roll call, huh?"

He listed off his wife's best friends by their Senshi and civilian names in this life. They asked him questions about others from the Silver Millennium, but he responded with much the same information Ami and Makoto both knew. While they ate, he tried to tell the story of the past six years and all the battles the Sailor Senshi had fought.

Looking back at it all, Mamoru was amazed they had endured so much in such a short time. The enemy forces had been unrelenting. When one was defeated another swiftly followed. In the last few years only had they been allowed to grow, to achieve goals and finally breathe in peace without wondering if that was their last breath. They had so much time to make up for still, but the prince felt like it was all going to run out soon.

"It seems like the Sailor Senshi, the princess and you have had a few turbulent years, Master," Kunzite said.

"And it all started with us," Zoisite uttered.

"Once we made Sailor Moon use her crystal, it must have been a bright beacon for others," Nephrite mused. "If we hadn't ruined it, everyone could have had a normal life."

"Don't think like that," Mamoru admonished. "It was nothing you could control. I don't blame you for what's happened so please don't blame yourself. We have a chance to be together again, without any curses to get in the way. Let's try to start fresh, okay?"

"We'll try," Jadeite agreed. "But it's not easy having a constant reminder of all the things we've done staring at us in those high heels."

"They'll come around," Mamoru promised. "Just give them a little more time."

"Ami doesn't hate us. At least she doesn't hate me. If she can get over me brutally murdering her in a past life in under forty-eight hours, I'm sure there's hope for the rest of us," Zoisite said, but then looked over to Kunzite. "Well, most of us anyways."

"Mamo-chan!" Usagi's singsong voice echoed through the shrine around them and Mamoru rose in answer.

"I'll be back," Mamoru said as he returned to the hallway. "Kunzite, can I speak with you a moment?"

"Of course." Kunzite followed his prince down the hall and for a few seconds they walked in a friendly silence.

"She's still the same?" Mamoru asked, and neither needed clarification of who 'she' was.

"Yes, Master."

"Don't blame yourself for what happened. I've betrayed Serenity more than once. Every time, for some reason, she has never stopped loving me."

"Venus is not your princess."

Mamoru grabbed hold of both Kunzite's shoulders and stopped. "I don't really know Minako's story all that well, but I think there's more in her past she's not telling us. Something happened there that turned her heart hard. Hard, but not impenetrable. Not yet. You need to talk to her. If there's a chance, I don't think you should squander it."

"I am at a loss of where to start that procedure. I find it difficult to be in the same room with her for long periods of time without her making an excuse to leave. What I did…" Kunzite paused, a pain passing through his clear eyes. "You may have hurt the princess in some fashion, but you did not deal death upon her personally. At this stage I simply do not want to be her enemy."

"I understand, but I think you should try to make amends. Minako has her duty to watch the stadium from nearby in the early evenings. It might be a good time for you two to talk."

"For me to corner her when no one else is around and when she can't flee her post, is what you mean."

Mamoru grinned. "A bold and blatant strategy, but sometimes they're the best."

"Mamoru!" Usagi voice rang in their ears again, this time as a wail of impatience.

"Oi, she used my full name. I better go before she knocks this place over. Just think about it Kunzite."

.

After an interlude with his bride, Mamoru found his way back down the shrine's steep steps. The soon to be queen was a little more than agitated to discover Mamoru had neglected to bring back food for her as well and had sent him on his way with her crocodile tears reverberating through his skull. When he reached the bottom of the steps, he came across Minako waiting, her hand pressed against the side of Setsuna's car. Rei stood next to her, concern for her friend clearly visible on her face. Mamoru could see the Senshi of Time in the driver's seat, and watched as Michiru climbed out of the passenger side of the vehicle.

"Hello Mamoru-san," she greeted as he joined them.

"It's the changing of the guard," Minako explained. "I have to relieve Ami now. See you guys later." Minako wasted no time distancing herself from the others, and soon she was out of sight.

"I suppose she's still taking this hard?" Michiru asked, looking in the direction Minako had gone.

"I suppose," Mamoru relented.

"She's right not to trust them and we should be just as careful," Rei voiced.

"They have given us no cause for alarm. They seem more confused than hostile," Setsuna countered.

"The only facts we have are they killed us once and they tried to do it again. If they were in our shoes I'm sure they would take the same precautions. In this situation I think it better to be safe than sorry."

"But they're my friends."

"No offense, Mamoru-san, but people you knew a thousand years ago and cannot as of yet completely remember, who have tried to kill you more than once, do not deserve the honor of your immediate friendship," Michiru stated.

"Just like you didn't deserve Usagi's, but she gave it to you anyways," Mamoru fired back and Michiru took the hit with a slightly guilty expression. "I can forgive them, even if their betrayal hits me the hardest. They were my companions, my guardians. I am willing to look beyond what happened because I know what it was like to be them. I…Forget it."

Mamoru sighed angrily and with swift strides walked away from the group in the opposite direction Minako had gone. They watched in silence as he turned the corner.

"Maybe Mamoru-san is right." The small group turned to Rei. "What if something evil soon comes our way and we are too busy fighting against the Shitennou to realize it?"

"Do you really think they're not a threat? Something you've seen in the fire?"

Rei hung her head at Michiru's question. "No but Mamoru-san is our prince, too. Usually if it were Usagi, I wouldn't trust the Shitennou as far as I could throw them. He's right that she loves everyone. But Mamoru-san is cautious. I will most certainly not be cozying up to any of them, but perhaps we need to keep our attention focused elsewhere."

"Being courteous to someone doesn't mean you should put down all your defenses," Setsuna spoke up again.

"We will see. Somewhere deep down I want to trust them, too, but I just can't shake off this feeling," said Michiru.

"What feeling?"

"That something is about to go horribly wrong."

.

She hugged close to the shadows on this cool night. A shawl covered her bright, mint hair and the golden symbol between her eyes. It was well past midnight, but bright spotlights shone up through the darkness and swept across the sky. Every once in a while she would see a police vehicle shoot by or feel the beat of a helicopter hover against her eardrums. She could hear the sirens as well, her constant companion no matter where she traveled lately. The whole world was on alert at the appearance of beings just like her.

Somehow, she always knew she was different from everyone else. It was difficult to explain, this feeling of constant déjà vu. As if something was close but out of her mental grasp like a quickly forgotten dream. After the incident in the metro she had escaped and headed north. Always north. Something called to her from the deep, something dark and brooding just like the caverns in her heart. She could feel others like her close by, but still out of reach.

Things were finally clear and the ancient plot lurking in her mind from ages passed was unraveled. She wasn't about to let some lesser beings stop her from reaching her goal this time either. As the snow began to fall, her smile had a frost of its own. It wouldn't be long now.


	9. Chapter 9

_"Time is turning back much too fast... memories slowly etching themselves upon the past... The sad past is rapidly...playing back..."*_

She stood outside the open doors with a posture as hard as the statues surrounding the shrine. The crackling of the fire was all she could hear, its voice taunting and calling to her all at the same time. Its flames' reflective light dancing over her body, lighting her face with its golden embrace. She had only managed to open the doors before the fire within reacted to her presence, its long angry tendrils reaching higher and further towards the young priestess.

"Having domestic troubles?"

She turned abruptly, finding the eyes of Nephrite upon her own. They held such power, both captivating and dangerous with the spirits of his ancestors and the stars above. She barely remembered him from the past, but there was enough to form an opinion of the smooth looking general.

"It's nothing," Rei responded curtly.

"Please, Mars. I can see through your defense. It is as thin as these walls."

"It is no concern of yours," she said roughly, her temper slowly beginning to leak. Nephrite, however, would not give in.

"You trusted me once. Put aside what has happened and believe in me again."

"So easily said," she huffed.

"And I trusted you, long ago, to help me. Let me repay the favor."

Rei turned back towards the fire. She feared to speak the words aloud and admit something was wrong, especially to one such as Nephrite. They remained quiet for a while, until Nephrite almost turned away. "The fire will not let me in. It-it recoils and then seems enraged. I don't know why this is happening, it is like..."

"Like what?"

Rei hung her head. "It doesn't know who I am anymore. I've been trying to advance one step closer, but it will not permit me. What if I've changed so much that I am no longer the person I was? What if I'm not worthy?"

She expected him to stare at her with ridicule and a smirk, but Nephrite calmly nodded and turned to the fire before them. She could see the fire in his eyes, and something else like a glossy sheen passing through their endless fathoms. Rei knew he was seeing the world differently and deeper, using a gift not so dissimilar from her own.

"No, no that is not it," he said suddenly.

"What?"

"It knows who you are, but it is afraid."

"Why would it be?" she asked, raising a fine brow.

"Don't you remember? The Great Fire is within you. The fire of Mars was always stronger than our flame. I thought I had a definite grasp on the ways of the mind and soul, but when I came to the Moon you disintegrated everything I thought I knew and mastered. The fire is afraid, but you must not let it control you. You had the power once and you can have it again if you embrace it. You are no longer the servant, Priestess." He walked behind her, practically whispering in her ear. "You are the master."

His words triggered memories long lost to the sands of time. Nephrite watched as her hands unclenched at her sides and a new, bolder stance pressed her shoulders back. Slowly, the Senshi of Mars walked into the room. The fire immediately reacted, billowing up and around the room. It launched itself at her, but this time she did not waver. Nephrite lost her form in the inferno, the waves of flames swirling around the chamber.

Yet a bright, red light, purer than the orange flames, engulfed the fury and Nephrite turned away as it burned his vision. When his eyes no longer stung from its brilliance, he found the heat of the fire gone, its tendrils quietly flickering back in place. She stood where he had last seen her, her attire and skin unscathed by the flames. She turned to him then, her black hair moving from her face in a gentle dance. He marveled at the serenity in her eyes, her long lashes hiding nothing. The knowledge and power were hers once more.

He had shown her the way, and now it was up to her as to how to handle it. He could feel her presence growing already, and heard the whispers of her voice inside his head. They were soft and hesitant, but he could make out the two words expressing her quiet appreciation for his help. The brown haired Shitennou felt something stir within as a graceful smile came to her flushed lips.

Nephrite nodded. "You're welcome."

"Rei we're here!" The captivating moment was broken as somewhere a door slammed open and closed, issuing in the others along with the afternoon sun. They heard footsteps coming down the hall and in a moment Makoto made an appearance.

"I brought something to eat," Makoto said, noticing Nephrite first. He was surprised to find her eyes no longer held their electric intensity, but she seemed embarrassed by the blush on her cheeks. "I uh, made enough for everyone. Well, depending on Usagi's appetite today which seems to have grown at a frightening pace, if that's possible," she chortled while Usagi made a silly face beside her.

"Nephrite, why don't you go find the others?" Rei asked, smiling.

"Of course," he replied, bowing slightly before passing her down the hall.

"Hey Rei, you seem different," he heard Usagi say before turning the corner.

After a few interesting moments of shuffling feet and downwards glances their lunch became a peaceful assemblage with the help of Makoto's delicious cooking and Usagi's lifting voice. Those in attendance mostly lost count of all the subjects she broached, but they were happy for her cheerful chatter. As the sun sparkled outside, they too felt illuminated from within and a temporary truce settled over the group of Senshi and Shitennou.

"I'm sorry if I'm boring anyone," Usagi apologize behind a mouth full of sashimi. "This is the most time any of us have been together in a while. I'm sure the Outers and Ami-chan will really appreciate your cooking when they get back though, Mako-chan."

"Yeah, if you leave any for them."

"I'm hungry!"

The doors opened again and this time the guardians of the twin planets walked into the quiet luncheon with Artemis in tow. Everyone looked up to Mamoru and Minako expectantly, holding their breaths for a reaction.

"Good afternoon. Would you like some lunch? I made it myself," Makoto offered. Minako eyed the group suspiciously before sitting beside Rei, the furthest point away from the Shitennou. Mamoru looked around with surprise at first, but then his face moved into a small smile of gratitude and relief. He took his place beside Usagi, who grabbed his hand with an encouraging squeeze. Following after them from the bright sunshine from outside, Artemis bounded in and skidded to a sudden stop at seeing everyone together again.

"Well it's just like old times, eh?"

"What took you so long?" Rei asked.

"Whoever came up with window shopping?" Artemis sighed.

"Whoever it was, I wish I could thank them," Minako's eyes lit up as she flashed her new shoes for all to see. "I couldn't pass these babies up."

"Minako-chan, really? You went shopping at a time like this?" Rei shook her head.

"Now is a perfect time to shop. There's nothing like a spree to calm the nerves," she replied.

"What else did you get?" Makoto asked, her interest piqued.

"Well, I was low on perfume so I bought some of this Channel stuff, too."

"It's Chanel, Minako," Rei sighed, rolling her eyes.

Minako blushed and the Senshi laughed. "Oh, right."

"I'm just glad you didn't max out your card again."

"Oh come on, Artemis, that was so long ago. I've-" She then noticed Kunzite's gaze and faltered. He wore a pleasant smile as she continued to rave on, admiring her eyes as they returned to their sparkling luster. Minako, however, recovered herself and averted her gaze from his. "I've grown up since then."

"Mako-chan, this is delicious. How did you find the time to cook?" Mamoru asked.

"I couldn't sleep so I just stayed up and cooked. Minako's stress reliever may be shopping, but mine is definitely cooking! You should see the cake I made."

"You made a cake and you didn't bring it?" Usagi squealed in distress.

"Who's next on arena duty?" Minako questioned as Makoto and Usagi skirmished.

"Haruka-san. It'll be my turn to relieve her soon," Makoto answered.

"I'm surprised they agreed to this."

"Even the Outer Senshi can have a change of heart. Besides, our missions are finally the same now," Rei replied. "I'm going to finish up my chores."

One by one, the Senshi and Shitennou began to file out of the room, the happy and relaxed atmosphere following them to wherever they ventured. Makoto remained behind to pack up the barren bones of plate ware in her woven picnic basket.

"I remember a time when the warrior from Jupiter was anything but a house maiden." Makoto looked up at the hand that held a finished dish. Jadeite threw her a jaunty grin. "Your cooking has greatly improved."

"I've gotten better at a lot of things in this timeframe now that I've had the opportunity," she replied with pride.

"Well, my stomach and I are glad for that. Are you still the soldier I remember though?"

"Would you care to find out?" Makoto's eyes flashed with a good-humored challenge.

"You tell me when, Sailor Jupiter, and I shall be there."

"It's a date."

Usagi and Mamoru walked the grounds of the shrine hand in hand. She had been happy with their luncheon, but in the back of her mind something was not letting her completely enjoy it. The day was growing darker with rain clouds by the minute, magnifying her growing, somber mood. She hated dark days. They reminded her too much of evil battles and lost friends. She could feel the humidity clinging to the air as well and knew the downpour would not be far away.

"Are you okay, Usa?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I just hate storms."

"Don't worry. They always pass."

"You always have something clever and uplifting to say like that."

"It's part of the job description," he said and winked at her.

The wind gently grabbed at her hair, but she ignored it as her tresses danced across her vision. Her eyes focused on the vast city around them, the tops of some skyscrapers barely visible as the sky seemed to fade out at the edges. "We'll both have very different jobs soon."

"Is it all right if I approach?" They looked up to find Kunzite close by.

"Oh, hello Kunzite."

He came forth, specifically moving towards Usagi and stood at a respectable distance. "There is something I've been meaning to tell you, Princess," Kunzite began.

"What?" she asked.

Suddenly he moved a pace forward, bowed gracefully, and knelt upon one knee before her. Usagi stared at his lowered head, the color quickly climbing up her cheeks. "We thank you for what you did. The others might not realize the extent of your actions, but we do. You gave us a chance at redemption, and we will forever be in your debt."

"Oh." Usagi smiled nervously. "It was nothing really."

"And also, thank you for taking care of the Earth and of Endymion."

She glanced sideways at Mamoru. "We have always taken care of one another."

"I am glad it was him that you chose," Kunzite grinned impishly.

"Yes, me too," Mamoru agreed.

"I still have a long way to go to make peace with my past," continued Kunzite. "All of us had friends and family in this lifetime before Beryl pulled us back into her evil plan. I wonder what has become of them, if they remember us."

"They will remember you, I know it." Usagi said hopefully and he found it infectious.

"You can take all the time you need to catch up on the life you were robbed of." Mamoru said.

"Thank you, but until your current dilemma is successfully navigated, the other Shitennou and I have made it our top priority." Kunzite bowed once more. He turned to the bleak horizon then, his bright eyes getting lost in its grey haze. "Plus, there are bridges we must burn here first."

.

The dark skyline rolled and pitched as lightning flashed in the ominous clouds. The storm was massive now, snuffing out the edges of the city in a black curtain. Soon the great downpour would begin and Eternal Sailor Venus hoped her shift would be over before then. There had been a small scuffle at the main gate of the arena tonight. They were letting some of the children return to their families and while the Senshi and many citizens of Tokyo agreed, there a few in an uproar. It was over mostly before it started as four Sailor Senshi were there in an instant, their powers vibrating through them just like thunder. It did nothing to put her mind at ease, however.

A footfall echoed behind her and she immediately assumed an offensive stance. Her chain materialized between her fingers and with a careful precision she twirled the one end around, ready to strike. No one was supposed to be here for another thirty minutes or so.

"Who's there? Show yourself." Slowly, the shadows lost their hold on his form and Venus stiffened. She relaxed her hold on her weapon, but did not let go.

"Endymion told me where you would be," Kunzite said. He wore modern clothes, but astonishingly carried a sword belt and sheath around his waist. Inwardly, Venus moaned. She hoped he had kept to the darkness on his way here.

"So you could corner me somewhere I can't escape from?" she grunted, mentally remembering to have a very special one on one with her best friend's husband.

Kunzite made an apologetic gesture. He joined her near the ledge and kept a comfortable distance. It was a distance part of her wanted to close so that no inch of them was separate again. She tightened her hold on the Love Me Chain, letting the sparkling magic jolt her bones and distract her mind from such dangerous thoughts. "It wasn't my first choice, but we do need to talk."

"Yes, you're right," she agreed, her voice stronger than she expected. The Senshi of Venus reached inside and built up the metal box she hid her heart behind, smothering her wayward feelings in the cold grip of iron. All the men in her current life came and went like pages of a calendar and she barely paid attention to their passing. They filled a desire, but they were never what she needed. No one could be that again. Not even him.

"Kunzite," passing his name through her lips took some effort, but she pressed onward. "I remember what happened in the past. Every moment. I will always look fondly on the good memories and I will do my best to forget the harsher ones. But whatever beyond companionship in our roles you might seek, I cannot give you. I am not the same person that I was back then."

"I have not seen so many differences. The Venus I knew was determined, sometimes to the point of becoming stubborn. Vibrant and optimistic. Loyal and protective. Loud." She jerked her face to his then, peering through her eyelashes with disapproval. The corner of his lips turned up just slightly at her reaction and she wanted to throw him off the ledge.

"Don't play games," she threatened, although she couldn't find it in her to completely mean it with his smile shining.

"My apologies, of course," was his sincere enough sounding response and she found herself wondering just how long he would fall before meeting the ground. He swept his eyes over the horizon and at the coming storm. If it worried him he gave no indication, but Venus knew this silence between them was a calm before something devastating. "If it is as you say and you remember everything, then perhaps it is our duty to ensure it does not repeat. You were right, as always. It did destroy us. Yet it was…"

"It was what?" she prompted. He turned the full weight of his blue eyes upon her and she did her best not to shrivel away.

"Everything," was his quiet response. She had to look away then, but did not turn her back on him. She wouldn't make that mistake twice. "For a moment, it was everything. I cannot let Endymion down again. If we are to serve both of them, it must be all of us. If we are divided, like we were before, we will fail them. It is better that we hold onto what transpired in the past and try to build a new future for our masters. Do you agree, Sailor Venus?"

Her grip upon her own arms tightened, the protective fabric wrinkling beneath her shaking palms. Just like long ago, he was giving her a way out. A way to save face and only be the dedicated soldier she was destined to be. She hadn't been strong enough to resist the lure of his love before. Yet things were different now, even if Kunzite could not see it on the outside. The blockade around her heart had been put there seven years ago and little by little she had built such an impressive structure she wasn't even sure how to tear it down.

She turned her gaze back to him, all worry and doubt gone from her eyes. This was the way it must be. "I agree, Lord Kunzite."

For a fleeting second, she saw the ghost of disappointment sweep across his eyes. Yet he nodded in acknowledgement with a safe, diplomatic smile. "Good."

A dark part of her shared in the disappointment, as well. The blonde could picture Kunzite disregarding her wishes only to sweep her up in his arms and burn them both with a passion bottled up for too long. It reminded her of all those nights they spent together, of want and need, giving and taking. Against her will, she felt an ache growing inside the parapets of her heart.

"Get a grip, Minako," she muttered to herself.

"Pardon me?"

"It's nothing. Is there anything else?"

"No. I am sure it will be difficult in the beginning, but I do have high hopes we can be an effective team in regards to serving the prince and princess."

"Yes, I-"

"I guess I do have one more request," he revealed. Sailor Venus sighed, steeling herself once more.

"And what would that be?"

"Would you spar with me?"

"I…what?" That was the last thing she expected him to ask and watched as he stepped towards the center of the roof and faced her.

"I'm afraid that being locked in a box for the past six years has put me out of practice. If I am to be prepared to protect my master, I need to return to top performance."

"While I agree, I'm sure you can do that with the other Shitennou." _Or anyone else_, she wanted to add.

"I know their defenses and moves as well as I know my own. In the past, you and I only battled a few times. I will not take up much of your time and would be honored. There is no better way to acquaint yourself with someone," he hypothesized, but Venus could think of just a few other ways. "I also have a feeling that you've not had many excuses in this lifetime to use your sword. This will benefit us both."

Her fingers twitched unconsciously at the thought of swordplay. It had indeed been a long time. Against her better judgment, she tapped her communicator and brought it close to her face. Sailor Mars flickered onto the screen.

"Mars, I'm going to be a little busy for a while. Do you think you can hold the fort until our reinforcements show up?"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Is that okay?" Part of her expected the miko to protest, but after a moment she shrugged.

"Pluto got here early so we'll both keep watch around the perimeter until you're relieved."

"Thank you." She let the transmission end and returned to the task at hand. She nodded her assent.

From his side he pulled forth a silver sword, brandishing its tip toward her. It was not the one she remembered from long ago, the one that had taken her life and so many others on that fateful day, but it was still sharp and intent. She was glad he hadn't brought that dreadful weapon. Looking at him in such a ready stance brought back painful memories as it was.

As she gazed at him she could hear the distant screams of a kingdom coming to ruin. She could feel the cold sword of his as it screamed through her, betraying everything they had worked to accomplish, betraying everything they'd done to stay together. On top of that, the Venusian princess felt the frustration of events from this life. Of a fortune that forever freed her from love and married her to duty. She used this sudden surge of emotions, transforming them into an excitement for battle. Sparks flew as she pulled the ancient sword that had killed Kunzite's former mistress from its spatial slumber. The two warriors stood within the darkened shadows of night. As lightning streaked across the sky they came for one another, crashing like thunder upon the rooftop.

They moved as quickly as the wind, jumping from one building to the next. Even if he claimed he was out of practice, Kunzite was keeping up with her with all his usual strength. With each strike of metal upon metal, something changed within Venus and she could feel her ancient spirit stir and surge to the surface. She met every one of Kunzite's powerful advances with elegant movements befitting a princess of Venus, but attacked with the power of a soldier.

With each parry and thrust, her anger and frustration grew as well. He was unfazed by her skillful motions it seemed, his stoic expression remaining locked in the mask of battle. He was like a river, flowing powerfully around her attacks and striking with a cold, relentless torrent. It was difficult to read his next move, like she was fighting against a moveable statue. She couldn't anticipate his intention to bend to the right out to the way as she thrust her sword at him. He kept his arm out and trapped her appendage against his body as her momentum carried her forward. The Shitennou whirled her around, the edge of his blade against her throat.

As their movements finally stopped, she realized how close they were. How she could hear their hearts beating just as fast as their breaths came and went. Her mind was a whirlwind as adrenaline made everything more vibrant. The scratch of the blade made her gasp, but being captive excited her for all the wrong reasons.

"I have won this round. Do you care to continue?" His warm breath tickled her skin. Her reply came as a growl as she fell through his embrace and twisted away. She folded her sword against her back and raised her other arm, beckoning him forward with a hungry look in her eyes.

He rushed forward, their swords clashing punctuated by a blinding line of lightning striking nearby. Thunder cracked hard, but Venus could barely hear it. She was consumed by their battle and it wasn't long before she won the upper hand. She used a nearby air conditioning unit to somersault over her opponent and gently tapped her sword against his shoulder before he could react. The female warrior landed low and remained there, her sword pointed at his heart.

"One for you, one for me," she declared. "Best out of three then?"

"I applaud your restraint. You could have cut right through me."

"If I wanted to kill you, Kunzite, this would have been over a long time ago."

"I didn't want to kill you, once, but I did it all the same," he said and charged forward. She barely blocked in time, the wind knocked out of her from his comment.

"What?" she shouted as the storm grew louder.

"I could see everything, hear everything. I could feel the hurt and betrayal in Endymion's eyes, in your eyes. I fought with everything I could against her treachery, but I could not raise my arm against Beryl nor against myself. I screamed and fought inside when we came face to face. I could do nothing, and when you were dying-"

"Stop!" she screamed as a crack in the armor of her heart appeared. She wanted to walk away from this sudden madness, but Kunzite pressed his advance. There was a danger in his eyes and she wasn't sure what would happen if she refused to defend herself. "What are you doing?"

"You might so quickly agree to put the past behind us, but I cannot," he revealed, reaching out with a sweep of his sword that could have taken her head off. She flew far away, but her anger and retribution filled the space between them. "I realize it might be something that happened too long ago for you to truly remember, or care about, but for me it is like it happened just yesterday. But I know without any doubt that your heart beats in time with mine."

"You don't know anything!" she yelled, incredulous. A rage consumed her then and she felt like she could see the emotion swarming around her like a hot, crimson fire that destroyed all reason. She let it control her as she stalked towards her prey. She dropped the tip of her sword, letting it scratch against the roof. The sky above them finally released its fury as well and large raindrops dropped like bombs around them. Her power radiated off her form like coiling serpents and the raindrops shied away from her, dropping to the sides.

The sword clattered from her hand as her chain was summoned. Venus sent it to rip through the air and watched as it wrapped around Kunzite's throat. He pulled against it, dragging her towards him with speed. At the last moment she dropped between his legs, sliding in the rain and gravel. With fluid elegance she rose back up to her feet and yanked as hard she could. The Senshi heard a grunt before Kunzite hit the ground.

Sailor Venus reached out a hand and called out to her sword. It trembled on the ground like a fledging trying to take flight before it launched itself towards her. She caught the weapon gracefully by the hilt and bent down, forcing the edge against his neck this time. So many emotions ran rampant inside her, storming the walls of her cursed prison. She could feel them seeping out, clogging the air around them. As the rain poured down, soaking his clothes and hair, she looked into Kunzite's face and felt above it all a hatred stronger than she had ever felt. For an agonizing second, she thought of dragging the blade across his throat and freeing both of them.

"Good," he said, surprising her out of her own hurricane.

"What?"

"I have no intention of turning on Endymion. If something happens in the future, if something comes for me again, I will kill myself if I can. But if I am unable to, you can't hesitate to do it. Not this time. Do it for both of us."

"You…" Venus sat back and almost threw the sword away from them. The storm inside her faded away even as the one around them raged on. For the first time, she felt the rain on her skin. "You were, you were playing me?"

"I had to make sure," he revealed, pulling himself up to sit beside her. "I had to know."

"Kunzite!" she yelled, exasperated. "I could have killed you!"

"That was, as I said, the point. I did mean it, however. I know I can trust you to finish the job if needed, but…But if there is a chance that we can be together in this lifetime, I cannot pass it up. I felt your rage and hatred, but there was more there. There was love. You can forgive me for killing you," he said without question and she knew it was true, as well. It pained her to remember, but death was rather something she was familiar with now.

"Minako," he whispered her name like a prayer and she couldn't help but gasp as it pulled at her guarded heart. "I am incomplete without you."

For long moments, Sailor Venus could do nothing but stare as the rain soaked them both. His gaze was so clear she felt she could see into his very soul. The warrior woman wanted to return the heartfelt sentiment, for she knew Kunzite never said anything without meaning it. Venus wanted to reach out and touch his warm skin in the cold rain. Yet she did nothing, for she was a lover chained.

"Kunzite," she said his name again, but the steel in her voice returned. She pulled in her wandering emotions and locked them back inside. It was time to end this. "I will protect my princess and I will protect Mamoru. I will die for them over and over. I will slaughter anyone that stands in my way and that includes you. I will also stand by your side and make our enemies tremble and wish they never knew our names. But I can't love you."

A flash of lightning showed her the shock and pain on his usually clean face. Before he could respond she stood up and placed her weapons back to sleep in whatever dimension they rested. Holding out her hand, Kunzite automatically accepted it, still somewhat numb from her announcement.

"I need to go," she said. "Get out of the rain, Kunzite."

She turned and walked away, her uniform weighing her down with water. Though she felt the heaviest inside. It was better this way, she knew, but it would be a long time before these wounds would heal.

"Valonisabaetha, stop!" he barked out the order and she complied, but only for the name he chose to use. An ancient name and one that carved a piece of her out with the sharp knife of remembrance. She didn't turn around, not caring if he stabbed in her the back now. Her name brought the faces of her long since passed family, of a golden world of beauty and destruction.

"Tell me what you are hiding. Tell me what is holding you back!" he demanded.

The rain's impact echoed around them, but the thunder and lightning had passed on. The storm was dying and perhaps, Venus thought, it was time to lay her burdens to rest as well. It was pointless to keep the truth from him, a fact she was just remembering. Despite everything, she had wanted to save him from this pain because she truly loved him. She had loved him with every part of her immortal soul, but it was futile.

"Do you remember Adonis?" she said, finding it difficult to raise her voice above a quiet whisper. She heard him come closer, but did not turn around.

"Adonis…Danburite?" he said.

"Yes, a loyal foot soldier for the mighty Shitennou, but long before that a Venusian in my army. In this life, you sent him after me. You," she turned then, unable to keep the venom out of her voice. "You sent him to hunt me down and dispose of me, but he took his time."

"When I sent him after you, I did not know who you were. Beryl had complete control of us in this life. It wasn't like before. I wasn't inside struggling to get free, but locked away. It does not excuse my actions, but-"

"I didn't remember any of the past either. I didn't remember him, or you, or any of it really. Just flashes of a kingdom in rubble and someone I knew I had to find. It's obvious he remembered, though. He-" she laughed then, but it was empty of humor. She reached up, rubbing the now soaking, red ribbon between her white gloved fingers. Now with her memories intact, she really knew why she wore it. The original had meant so much more. "He had one of his stupid goonies tell me I'd look better with _this_. He knew who I was the whole time and just played his cards."

For the first time, Kunzite looked at her with horrified eyes. "Minako…"

"He gave me something else, too. A fortune. He looked up at me as I let him die and he took pity on me. He knew I wouldn't stop until this dark threat was gone and I found answers. Adonis knew it would lead me to you. So he gave me a card and told me my love would be hopeless for all eternity," she confided, finding it hard to stop shaking as the cold rain and colder reality crashed against her. "Now that I have my past to fill this twisted puzzle, I know what he really did. He cursed me, Kunzite. He used his Venusian powers and condemned the thread that connects me to you. He knew no other man in the universe could stand up to me besides you and I might have to face you again. He set me free, but he buried me too."

"I don't understand. I still feel it." He pounded a fist against his chest.

"I said that he condemned it, not destroyed it. I'm sure he would have tried if he wasn't hanging there fading away," she scoffed. She held out her hand palm up and stared into his eyes. "Try to connect with me, Kunzite. Do you remember how?"

"Of course," he responded as if insulted. He placed his hand against hers and closed his eyes. Sailor Venus could feel him reaching out with his soul, with the part of him that was connected to her across centuries and universes. She let herself go and rose to meet him, even knowing what would happen. As their essences touched a jolt of tremendous pain washed through her. She gritted her teeth against the waves of torment and heard Kunzite groan. When she opened her eyes, the Senshi of Love found them both kneeling on the ground, their fingers now intertwined as they clung to one another through the agony.

"I cannot truly love you, not in this life," she said when the aching passed and her voice was strong once more. "Not even, not even if I wanted to. I feel it, I know I've loved you, but it's all disconnected. It's…Kunzite, we have to move on because nothing in this life is going to fix what is broken between us. Not Mamoru, not even Usagi. The only one that can reverse this curse is Adonis and he isn't coming back anytime soon."

"Loni, I…" He shook his head, not wanting to believe it, but Venus could see the revelation in his eyes. She let go of his hand and returned to her feet. She wanted to weep in his embrace for this tragedy. She wanted to cry to the heavens and demand vengeance. It wouldn't matter. They were together again, free of Beryl's evil chain, but only to be burdened by another curse. There was nothing more to be said.

She left and disappeared into the rain and this time, Kunzite did not call her back.

.

_Read/Research the Sailor V manga if you're confused about Kunzite/Minako. _


	10. Chapter 10

Dreams and slumber clung to life as the city and its encompassing outer areas remained hidden and at a lazy peace after the passing storm. Its effects lingered as a deep fog settled over the area, blotting out the clouds to come. For a moment, everything lay in repose. No one wanted to come out of their warm beds to face the dreary day. Even the birds had yet to herald the dawn.

The moisture in the air glistened on his exposed skin. Jadeite's eyes scanned his surroundings, senses peaked and alert to act at the slightest change. That was all he would need to thwart his foe. He expected something to come from either his sides or at his back and braced himself, positioning his feet for such an eventuality. The ground was damp and muddy from the rainfall and would hamper the sound of footsteps. The Senshi of the earth told him to meet her here for this early morning challenge and he knew she must be out there somewhere already, watching him with amused eyes.

In front of him and through the mist something began to spark. He watched the two spheres, flashes of emerald parallel to one another, grow ever vibrant. Without warning they propelled forward, crackling and hissing against the water surrounding them. They were easily avoided though as he had ample time to prepare. He watched them disappear into the mist behind him, vaguely hearing the splintering of wood in the distance.

Turning, he found his foe within line of sight, a gloved hand placed casually upon her hip while the other rested on top an ebony hilt. He could see her jeweled tiara sparkling in the filtered light of morning and he eyes glowed with excitement. She hadn't come to him as Eternal Sailor Jupiter, however, but adopted her Super form. She had a few surprises for the blonde haired Shitennou that she thought only fair. He had killed her once, after all.

He smirked and rose to his full height, imitating her light and easy stance. "Quite a light show."

"Are you sure you want to do this here?" She motioned to the woods and its life force all around her, the nature that was her element.

"I want you at your best."

"Right." Makoto nodded and with her finger popped her katana from its sheath. Together they released their weapons, both blades reflecting off the light trapped within the luminous fog.

She dug her green boots deeper into the soft ground, feeling something ancient coursing through her. With each day and with every memory that returned, she could feel her power growing stronger and knew her next evolution as a warrior would soon be complete, in both mind and body. For now, she would fight with everything she already had.

They came at one another, lightning and thunder colliding in a brilliant, solitary storm. They darted through the fog and dashed behind trees and bushes, quick and nimble in the scattered light. The idle sounds of the forest replaced by the cold clanging of powerful metal as the two ancient warriors danced around each other. As the sun grew higher in the sky, his confidence along with his advantage did as well. He grinned wryly as he expertly parried her advance, pushing Jupiter back. Neither realized that two of their kin had fought in a similar manner not but hours ago.

"Of all the battles you Senshi had I keep hearing about, I thought you would have been more of a challenge." He toyed with her, arrogantly stepping away from her thrusts. She stumbled and brought her angry eyes to his face.

"Well we didn't exactly engage in a lot of duels. And you could only dream of the things I have seen," Jupiter whispered gruffly.

"Lady, you know nothing." His taunts were as endless as his deadly blows. He pushed Jupiter continually back. She faulted again, this time falling to the wet ground and losing hold of her sword. Jupiter cursed loudly as he proudly stalked towards her, a smug smile on his face.

"That was always your weakness," he said. "Letting your anger blind you-"

"Do you know what your weakness is, Jadeite?" Jupiter retorted as his figure condensed out of the mist, blue eyes intent.

"What?"

She threw him a wicked grin, catching him off guard. "Your knowledge is only of the past. Eternal Power, Make up!"

He shielded his eyes against the barrage of green lightning. When the smoke cleared she was upon him, raining down on him like fall's harshest day. He only managed to parry twice before his sword flew out of his hand, ending up buried within the trunk of a tree.

He crashed to the ground, mud and debris sticking to his fine uniform. Jadeite moaned, trying to pull himself free of its entrapment. Calm footsteps grabbed his attention and he begrudgingly looked up into the face of his victorious opponent.

Every sign of their duel was no longer apparent on her new, spotless uniform. He could feel the power she now radiated as a low hum, reverberating through the ground beneath him as the sensation traveled through his beleaguered body in crackling waves.

The sign of Jupiter shone brightly on her forehead and a smile dangled upon her lips. She made no sly remark, only held out her hand. Jadeite sighed before letting his pride fall away enough to allow her to help him to his feet.

"So, what is this?" Jadeite asked, trying to cast off the forest from his uniform.

"My final form, Eternal Sailor Jupiter."

"All of you are like this?"

"Yes, complete with new powers that I haven't exactly tried out yet. I didn't think it was wise to use them on you," she reiterated, keeping her intentions of revenge to herself. "Don't want you to get hurt so early in your new life, right?"

Jadeite frowned. "Right."

"Well, good match." She stuck out her hand and Jadeite stared at it for a moment. Slowly, he accepted the gesture, but didn't keep the connection between them for very long.

"Yes, I suppose. Just know that surprise won't work with me next time."

Makoto chuckled. "I know. Would you like to spar again?"

"Do you think you'll need the practice soon?"

"Oh, I don't know. Someone from our past, Death Phantom, attacks us so suddenly and not when they were supposed to. By getting our memories back we're preparing for this ultimate destiny. Millions of people around the globe are afraid of a few thousand with strange, alien marks on their foreheads, and I got a feeling if we can't get a hold of the situation soon something horrible is going to happen. Oh, and you're here, which is never a good sign. So yes, I would like to feel somewhat prepared, and since I can't think of anything to do to help, this is my only way of coping."

They stood there in silence as Makoto stood so still and rigid with her hands firmly at her sides. Jadeite began to think she was another rooted tree in the forest. Graciously, he cleared his throat. "A simple yes would have been enough."

For a moment he thought she'd strike him, but her eyes cleared and she laughed shortly. "You're right. I'm being as dramatic as Minako. Everything will be all right in the end, right?"

It didn't seem like the question was poised to him, but nonetheless he had no plans to reply. He had no idea what the answer was.

"Well let's get to it," she continued. She went over to his sword and with no effort yanked it from its imprisonment and tossed it to him. For a moment he blanched at the weapon careening towards him, but she threw it precisely and he caught it by the hilt.

"Thanks," he muttered, and readied himself once more.

.

With padded feet they walked the blocks of Tokyo where the atmosphere on the streets remained covered in a haze of uncertainty and confusion. The initial shock of the "Others" invasion was beginning to wear off, but something more malicious took its place. It trembled beneath the earth as if a bear waking from hibernation. It was ever so slight they doubted any of the others took notice, but long ago they had sensed something like this once before and the result was nothing short of an apocalypse.

"I have a bad feeling about all this," Luna sighed.

"Me too," Artemis agreed as he carefully side stepped broken pieces of glass. The window above had been obliterated and the store inside was nothing more than a vault of empty shelves. There wasn't much trouble with the Sailor Senshi standing guard, but even they couldn't stop everything. "Our current plan isn't working fast enough. I feel this city will tear itself apart soon if we can't gain some ground. The other cities are already spiraling out of control. We need to think of something else."

"Something more affirmative. I don't want this to happen again. It'll be like the persecution during the Silver Millennium all over again."

"Yes. Let's go find Minako. She should be at home, sleeping I'm sure."

Luna nodded. "Good idea."

.

Usagi paced the confines of the bathroom, her eyes darting from the tiled floor to the small clock beside the mirror. The ticks were echoing annoyingly through her head and every second seemed further and further apart, compounding her misery. Her hands twisted around one another as she paced, but her mind was even more twisted with worry.

She stopped as the clock finally reached its final minute. For a few seconds, her feet were cemented to the floor. Her answer was right in front of her, but now that the moment was here fear was taking hold of her mind. Gradually, she took baby steps towards the bathroom counter.

She had reached a point where she could see everything clearly, and there was no mistaking now. A loud, surprised scream echoed through the floor of their apartment building at the news.

.

"Care for a ride?"

Mamoru turned, finding Setsuna's car with its driver concealed in shadow.

"Thank you," he said as he climbed in.

"Late shift on a weekend?"

"Yes, it's what I get for skipping work."

"You do have a car, don't you Mamoru-san?"

"And a motorcycle," Mamoru added.

"Why are you always walking to work then?"

"Oh, the hospital isn't very far. I also like to get some exercise besides the kind I get whisking Sailor Moon away from danger," Mamoru said with a knowing grin. "Since those days are over, the walking is all I have."

Setsuna replied with a feeble smile. "I see."

With small talk out of the way, silence became their companion for most of the journey. Mamoru watched her out of the corner of his eye. Her smile quickly disappeared, replaced by a melancholy but rather neutral expression. She was idly tapping her finger on the steering wheel like she had done at lunch a few days ago and he knew something must be agitating her.

"Setsuna-"

"Do you remember me from the Silver Millennium?" Setsuna interjected, her voice a bit unsteady to begin.

"A little. You were the first person I met on the Moon and acted as our liaison to the queen. I remember meeting you and Queen Serenity for the first time very clearly now."

"What did you think of me?"

"I thought you were mysterious and a little terrifying, if I'm honest. But you were always polite and accommodating and I enjoyed your company, as I do now." The car came to an abrupt stop outside his apartment complex, but Mamoru only looked expectantly at her. "What's wrong?"

"Something has happened," her deep voice cracked in the darkness and Mamoru became concerned. Even though, he had to admit, something was always happening.

"What's happened?" She finally came fully out of the shadows and Mamoru gasped. Her forlorn eyes glistened with tears and some had slipped gracefully down her bronze cheeks. "Setsuna?" Before he could react, he felt her lips on his cheek. It was the softest of embraces, a simple chaste kiss and over just as quickly as it had begun.

She smiled sadly. "I'm sorry. I just-The next time we meet, I will be your enemy."

"Setsuna, what-"

"The princess needs you." Her voice had returned to its usual timbre of deep control, as if the past few seconds had never taken place.

"But-"

"You must go," she urged, all traces of tears gone from her eyes. Wordlessly and confused, Mamoru climbed out of the car and barely had time to shut the door before she was off, the brake lights disappearing around the corner.

Mamoru impatiently pressed the button for his floor for the tenth time. He had been in the elevator for only a couple of seconds, but the weight of Setsuna's words made it seem far longer. The contact had been a flash, though for some reason Setsuna's touch burned. Some far off emotion tingled his skin, but he pushed his thoughts aside as the doors finally opened.

"Usa?" he called into the quiet apartment. It concerned him, this awkward silence. Usually, the television blared unwatched or there was the familiar sound of something being thrust into the microwave to be stuffed into his wife's mouth.

After Usagi had moved in, the spinning world in which she lived had taken some getting used to. Now, the silence had re-asserted itself and descended upon the apartment. Mamoru felt uneasy and could feel an unwelcome sensation rising within.

"Usagi?" he called again and quickly searched the apartment. Upon opening the doors leading onto the balcony he found her back turned to him. "Usako, is everything all right?"

"Mamoru, something's happened," she whispered, repeating Setsuna's words. He wanted to comfort her instantly, but something about the way she stood scared him into stillness.

"What is it?" Slowly he watched her move her hand and noticed the small white object held in her quivering grasp. He had seen it so many times before, but the two little pink lines seemed alien to him now.

"Usako-"

"I'm pregnant, Mamo-chan."

"But-"

"I haven't been feeling well for a couple of weeks. I just thought, I don't know, I was eating too much junk food or something. But in case you're even wondering what I'm doing up this early is because I threw up, and when's the last time I did that? Nothing ever bothers my stomach. So I got a test kit and-" She stopped as a shudder jerked her shoulders.

Mamoru kept staring at the test, its results not quite registering with him. He had pictured this day so many times. He would walk into their apartment and Usagi would rush into his arms and tell him the good news. They would celebrate their daughter's arrival and dream of their life as a family together and those things soon to be experienced. When it hadn't happened this year, they both knew that on Usagi's next birthday they would most likely be reunited with their pink-haired love. King Endymion had said Chibi-Usa was born in the aftermath of Usagi becoming queen and that transition had begun.

"But your birthdays were only a few days ago. How could Chibi-Usa possibly-" He stopped as she turned around, her face streaked with grief and the answer to his question.

"Mamo-chan, something's wrong!" she cried and fell into his arms. He held her close, refusing to let his own tears of frustration fall. He let his other thoughts distract him and looked to horizon only to find Setsuna's magenta eyes in the clouds.

Mamoru balled his fists until his knuckles turned white.

'The next time we meet, I will be your enemy.'

.

"Rei, Rei-chan are you there?" Quickly the priestess picked up her communicator as Ami's voice rang throughout the fire room.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Minako-chan just contacted me. Luna and Artemis want to have a special meeting at the shrine. I've called everyone else but Usagi-san and Mamoru-san, so we should all be there within ten minutes."

"What's this about?"

"I'm not sure."

"Okay, I guess I'll see you soon."

Gently she placed the communicator down. She returned her focus to the fire before her as the flames settled. This time it was tamed and bending to her will. She marveled at the power she could now wield and could only dream of what was to come once she had finally mastered both her past and the present.

"What was that about?"

Rei sighed at the distraction coming from the doorway. "What was what about?" she responded testily, keeping her eyes closed. She did not need to see him anymore but could recognize his spirit and voice anywhere now. But that did not mean she wanted to see him at the moment.

"Ami's communication..."

"If you knew it was Ami-chan then you obviously heard what she said. Why do you need me to tell you?"

"You're right. I really only wanted an excuse to bother you."

At that, Rei turned and faced him. Nephrite leaned against the threshold with his arms crossed, that same smart look upon his face he almost always wore. She rolled her eyes and gave up her reading, knowing it was futile.

"What do you want, Nephrite?"

A playful grin danced upon his lips and Rei felt herself squirm beneath her robes.

He didn't answer immediately, but watched the thoughts dash over the priestess' face. He had seen, for a moment, the ancient princess of Mars when she had stepped out from the fire. He remembered everything about her, but he knew this woman before him was not exactly whom he remembered. Something was different between the two and he wished to find out what it was.

"Do you remember me at all from the Silver Millennium?" he asked.

"I..." Rei trailed off. He stepped closer and she stared at him with cautious eyes. She moved away, the fire warming her back and his eyes burning her face. She could feel his mind slowly invading hers, a strange sensation, and instantly pushed against it. "What are you doing?"

"Do you?"

"No, not really," she answered. "I've only remembered a little of my power as priestess of Mars, a few of my childhood memories, and my training as a Senshi. Everyone else seems to be having a lot more luck with their memories returning. If I hadn't spent so much time concerning myself with the fire, I would be more ahead."

"So, you do not remember us?"

"Yes, of course I remember the Shitennou."

"No. Us," he said with more meaning, raising a coy eyebrow at her.

"Us? You mean you and…I?" Rei exclaimed. "You're joking, right?"

His eyes danced with the same light she had seen only a few nights ago and she could feel his powers push against her. She refused him again, but he only moved closer towards her in response.

"Nephrite-"

"Trust me," he whispered, close enough so she could feel his breath on her skin. The teasing look left his eyes and she felt like could see miles into them and discovered no trickery or evil intent. He wanted to show her something, something she knew she should remember.

"I..." She closed her eyes and let her defenses down. He swept into her mind like a friendly breeze. When she dared to open her eyes again she was somewhere far away from the shrine and found a white walled room before her. It was empty, but she could feel something burning against her back. She turned and saw a blazing fire. It was different from the fire she so regularly sat before. It flashed with an assortment of colors of bright greens, blues and silver running through it. Slowly, her mind wrapped itself around the inferno as old as the stars.

"The Great Fire of Mars," she whispered.

"Yes." She pivoted at the sound of Nephrite's voice and found the room changed. It was a long hall with strong black and silver pillars and red carpet. Tapestries of ancient places and people covered the walls and the ceiling was the universe itself. She could see the vast stars beyond and two moons suspended in the blackness.

Suddenly, something bright caught the inside edges of Phobos and Deimos and she watched as a fiery projectile came between them, heading straight for her. She flinched as it collided somewhere off to her left and a moment later a huge shockwave accompanied it. She shielded herself from the inertia until all sound disappeared.

She opened her eyes and found herself in a different room. The pillars had changed to something softer and the room shone with the spotless, silver hued stone. She pivoted and found the fire once more, but it was different, smaller and more subdued as if it were tired. She recognized this place well enough, even if the large blue and green planet suspended in the large window did not give it away. It was her princess' home.

"I remember this. When I was very little, the dark energy attacked Mars and we had to come here. The Great Fire was never the same."

"Neither were you," she heard him whisper.

Nephrite was dressed in his royal garments of green and grey. She looked down at herself for the first time, finding her robes had changed as well. Rei was adorned in ornate red and black garments with golden trim. The fabric was billowy on her delicate frame, but she was born to wear it. She reached up, feeling the heavy and sacred headdress of a high priestess of Mars atop her tresses, and could see out of the corners of her eyes the gems like teardrops hanging from the fan shaped assemble.

"If Queen Serenity hadn't stolen you from your home world, this would have been your life. But then again, I would never have met you," he said. He was approaching her slowly, almost reverently, and she felt this moment was familiar somehow. Like this was more than an illusion. With every step he took, the pieces of the past were stitching themselves together. It was a memory, one that made her heart lurch.

"Things aren't as simple anymore," she replied without realizing it. It was as if she was reading a script and this was merely a play. He stepped closer, rising to the platform she occupied. She didn't move this time as he slowly approached, only watched his eyes sparkle in the torchlight. She was captivated by this experience, and for once didn't care to think if this was his doing, or her own emotions.

"No, they never are." She could feel him more strongly then. Images of the past, his past, racing across her mind. For a moment she saw him as a young boy, lost in the wilderness and struggling through the dark. In a flash, she saw the last night of the Silver Millennium, saw him stare down at his blood spotted hands in wonder. She could hear voices and shouts incoherent to her, but she could sense the sadness and longing, guilt and fear in them.

"What's going on?" she finally whispered.

"We're reliving a scene from long ago. Do you wish to know how it ends?"

Before she could answer, his lips passionately embraced hers and all thought vanished from her mind. She was caught up in the moment as he brought her closer to him, his arms a gilded cage around her. She let her eyes close as she tried to remember the memory, but was too distracted by the present to really think much at all. She felt the fire leap around them and enter her veins, burning her with something she couldn't yet name.

'Rei-chan we're here!'

Abruptly everything stopped and Rei gasped as she found herself back within the quiet shrine. Her head was dizzy and her body still on fire. She caught her breath for a moment before launching at him with the full force of her voice.

"That's right. I agreed to train you in the Silver Palace and you repaid me with betrayal."

"Oh, don't be so dramatic," he countered. "It was just a silly wager."

"You kissed me because I promised a vow of chastity to Princess Serenity and you wanted to see if you could break it," Rei seethed. She knew that moment had happened millennia ago, but she was having a hard time not hurtling a fist into the current incarnation before her. "And I thought I only had this lifetime of misogynist men to deal with."

"So, do you think we could pick up where we left off?"

"Do you have a death wish, Nephrite?" she said, feeling her power burning around her. "I made a vow!"

"Yes, but did you make it in this lifetime too?"

"I...that's none of your business!"

"Ah, I see." Nephrite smirked and turned to leave. "I'll be around, Fire Priestess."

.

"So what's going on, Luna?" Ami asked once everyone, minus Usagi and Mamoru, had arrived and settled down. It was the first time in days all the Senshi, Shitennou had been together in one place. The only one who seemed to be missing was the Senshi of Time.

"I would rather wait until Usagi and Mamoru-san are here. It involves them, too of course," the feline answered.

"You remember last time they were late." Makoto glanced at the Shitennou. "We got a lovely surprising shock."

"Dashingly handsome are the two adjectives I would use, personally," Nephrite spoke up.

"Naturally," Makoto drawled as she rolled her eyes.

"I wonder where they could be," Artemis mused aloud.

An instant later they received the answer as Mamoru stormed into the shrine with Usagi not far behind. They had seen Mamoru impassioned before, but the look in his blue eyes was startlingly hostile and demanding.

"Where is she?" Mamoru asked harshly.

"Who are you talking about, Mamoru-san?" After posing her question, Minako immediately found a weeping Usagi in her arms and the others stared in surprise.

"What's going on?" Haruka asked.

"Where is Setsuna?" Mamoru practically yelled.

"She's not here," Ami answered calmly. "She's probably at the Time Gate."

"Usagi-chan, what's wrong?" Rei asked as she reached out a comforting hand to Usagi's back.

"What is going on, Master?" Kunzite added.

Mamoru looked at them all for a moment, his initial anger giving way to brokenhearted frustration. His eyes slowly moved towards Usagi and all his barriers quickly disintegrated at the sight of her renewed crying. He gave up his angry defense and fell against the nearby wooden support beam. Usagi whispered inaudibly into Minako's shirt.

"What is it?" Minako questioned. With a sniff, Usagi lifted her head and glanced around the room.

"I'm-I'm pregnant!"

At her declaration, a myriad of different emotions took hold upon those within the room. At first, some were delighted, until the realization of what it could truly mean quickly dawned on them. The Shitennou stared at the group in confusion, unsure as to what was occurring.

"But," Hotaru spoke up bravely. "But Chibi-Usa has the same birthday as you, Usagi-san."

"She does, she did," Usagi cried. "I don't know what happened! What if, what if she doesn't exist anymore? I couldn't deal with it!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Koneko-chan. We all remember her, how could you really forget her, so she has to exist," Haruka said.

"Haruka-chan is right. We might know something about our future, but we don't know it all. There's a huge gap between the time when Crystal Tokyo was founded and the present. Who knows what's going to happen? You may have transformed into Neo-Queen Serenity this year, but you're not exactly ruling yet. King Endymion said you had Chibi-Usa the same year as your first reign, so who knows? Believe it's Chibi-Usa. I believe it is," Makoto urged.

"What's going on? Who is this Chibi-Usa?" Jadeite asked.

"I'll tell you all later," Rei replied. "Now is not a good time."

"Only one person knows for sure," Mamoru spoke up.

"Who?" Makoto asked.

"Setsuna. She told me something was wrong. She knew!"

"There's no way to reach her at the Time Gate, if that's where she is. She always seems to come whenever she's needed, though," Michiru offered.

"I don't think she'll be coming this time," Mamoru added darkly.

"I can reach her." Usagi stood up, a determined look on her face. "I have to. I'll use my crystal to-"

"Usagi, wait!" Luna intervened. "I don't think you should use the Silver Crystal in this state. It's a wonder nothing happened when you defeated the Death Phantom. Your mother was unable to use it when she was carrying you long ago. It's dangerous."

Defeated, Usagi plopped back down to the floor and tears began to collect in her eyes anew. She remembered the crystal's warning, remembered how hard it was to reach for the power unlike the times before. Luna was right in that she couldn't risk trying to do something as difficult as reaching Setsuna's dimension without a key. A disturbed silence fell over them as they glanced at their somber leader.

Things were not how they pictured them anymore. They were left with a broken promise of a brilliant future, splintering into pieces within their minds. What lay ahead of them now, they wondered. Outside, the afternoon grew darker with gray storm clouds yet again, an unwanted herald for worse things to come.

.

Umino anxiously paced the length of his studio apartment like he was a man condemned. Night had fallen long ago, but he could not find rest. Ever since that day he could barely sleep, eat or think clearly from what he had seen in the past week. He went to work like a ghost, unaware or unable to see what was going around him, and sat at his desk solemnly while the world buzzed around him. At the end of his day, he parked his car outside the cold and tall metal gates and gazed into the make shift compound they made for the 'aliens'. Police kept close watch and no inhabitants were allowed near this outer perimeter, but he came nonetheless in hopes he would see her for the slightest second. Some were there to protest and there seemed to be more coming than before. Hundreds of other people came to out to see their friends and loved ones and leave tokens from their former life like they were already lost to them. He never left anything, save for a small part of his sanity and fears.

It was quiet now in the city. The people he passed in the streets were fearful and angry, hurt and confused, but silent. No one shouted in the market anyone, no children ran down the streets chasing one another. Even they seemed to sense the darkened atmosphere. Everyone was afraid to speak, afraid they might be taken away next. He felt like everyone was waiting for something to happen, waiting for that one person to shout out and tell them how to act or what to believe. In a way, so was he.

The Sailor Senshi had offered them a solution, but no one seemed to be listening to their message. It seemed so long ago now that Sailor Venus had stood before them. And now that he knew who they were…

Everything made sense now. How Usagi's new friends seem to appear as the Senshi did and how they always seemed to disappear when something was attacking the city or their school. How they had bruises they tried to hide and why Usagi grew apart from her best friend, her crush at the arcade, and the strange kid with glasses. He had felt a little resentment for Usagi's actions, but now he understood.

He tried to picture Usagi as Sailor Moon but the goofy memories of his old friend wouldn't let him. She saved everyone from darkness, she had so much responsibility, she was a soldier…how could that possibly be Usagi? But he had seen Sailor Venus on the ground with Usagi and knew exactly at that moment what had been hidden from him for so long.

He knew he should go and see them, tell them what he knew, but fear and sadness were keeping him at bay. What if they couldn't let him live with the secret he knew? He didn't think Usagi capable of such a thing, but the other girls he couldn't be too sure of from the beginning. But he knew he could no longer wait to find a way to free Naru, or for the government to finally release them under the Senshi's offer. He had needed time to think of something, but now he felt like that time was running out. Naru had whispered Usagi's name, although he still didn't quite understand why, but he realized his golden haired friend was the only way to save her now. Maybe somehow Naru had known that.

He grabbed his coat, for the night was strangely cool outside, and walked to the door. Usagi would surely be able to save their friend, somehow. She was the only hope left. He just hoped it wasn't too late.


	11. Chapter 11

_"Luna! You guys! It's the enemy! Look! The city is packed in ice!"*_

At long last, she had reached her destination.

Snow swirled around her legs as the Aurora Borealis danced lazily above. The bitter cold should have killed her long ago, but she was changing. With every step she took to this place, a power grew stronger within her. It covered her, possessed her and protected her. It spoke of things that had once been and things that could be.

The woman pulled back her scarf and let her luscious hair flow freeing in the wind. In the low light, she could see she wasn't alone in this bleak and white wasteland of the Arctic. There were seven others and she knew them all by name even if she'd never met them in this life. She sought out the lavender eyes of her prince and was happy to see them gazing her way.

"That's all of us then," he announced. Unbidden, they formed a circle. The spot they encompassed looked no different from all the ice around them, but something deep within called to their dark nature. The leader crouched down and placed his hand upon the packed ice. Those around him could feel the energy he poured into the ground below and soon began to add their own force to the pool of power. A golden ring began to show through the snow like lights through a fog and he stood up. They watched as the ice quickly melted, revealing their prize. The silver seal lay before them, hidden away from any one's sight for the past six years.

"Are you sure about this?" the youngest said quietly, his dark blue eyes searching his brother's. "She's obviously powerful still, but can we trust her? What if she just uses us and discards us, or takes us over like she did the Terrans?"

"And what are our other options? She's brought us together for a reason. We're not strong enough to take the Silver Court on by ourselves. Do you really want to wait until we're stronger and take the risk of being discovered or failing, or do you want our vengeance now?"

"Hurry hurry, let's break it," the woman from the metro chanted, her eyes resting upon her ruler's form with unbridled adoration. He held out his hand to her and she eagerly accepted.

The reaction continued across their small circle until they were linked completely. As one they closed their eyes and released what power they had. Lights of various colors began to shimmer around their bodies and swarm to disappear into the seal. They held nothing back, emptying their magic in a hope to receive more in abundance.

The seal began to glow like a fire growing hotter until it blared white like snow around it. All at once it exploded in a fountain of dark energy and lighting that soared miles into the sky and into the inky expanse of space. It only lasted a few seconds before it returned and the seal was no more. They stared in shock at what, or who, now took its place.

She was not as they remembered her from long ago. Her skin had taken on a strange blue tint and her eyes shone with red fury. Her flowing scarlet hair replaced by a head of dark teal, her ears pointed like her deathly fangs. She gazed at the silent group and allowed her eyes to settle on their leader. It wasn't a look of upmost approval, but the fact she didn't kill him outright bolstered his confidence.

"Prince Demando."

The white haired man managed to find his voice. "Queen Beryl."

"I am no longer simply Beryl. In the last moments of our existence, Metallia fused herself with this body when she was defeated, saving both of us from utter destruction. We have lain in wait ever since, recovering while trapped by this sealing curse."

"Why did you not awaken us the first time?" he asked.

"It was easy enough to find the Shitennou, but you were another matter, my dark Lunarians. The cloak of the Moon Kingdom concealed you as it did all those on the Moon that day. Fancy that, the kingdom you betrayed still trying to protect you. I sent Danburite to locate you while we gathered power, but he was cut down by his own kind. We ran out of time and could no longer waste our efforts. We needed the Silver Crystal."

"Why awaken us now?"

The evil, ancient entity laughed. "You are mistaken, dear prince. It was not I. It was the Moon Princess herself."

"Serenity? Why would she do such a thing?" The verdant woman, none other than Esmeraude, asked.

"She still has no idea the power she wields. She does not deserve it," Beryl, or something once like her, mocked.

"We will gladly take it from her," a dark voice said from amongst the gathering. It belonged to the last of the men in their group, his hair like a fiery beacon in this desolate place.

Beryl smirked, looking up into the sky. Her eyes began to burn brighter and they felt the Earth shift beneath them. Moans and cries echoed from under her feet where she hovered over the shattered seal, and the horizon grew darker around them.

"Father Chaos was here. His mark and blessing is soaked into this world. Many of his creations, many of my brothers and sisters, have graced this place with their evils since we've been dormant. The Earth is rank and ripe for the taking. We are as strong as we were in the beginning, stronger even. Yes, finally this is our time. We will not fail, we cannot."

"How can we service you best, Your Majesty?" Demando asked.

"I think we should cause a little chaos of our own."

.

"Here are the news reports for this evening…"

"What does this mean for humanity?"

"Over one hundred of these beings have been identified. Who knows if there are more, and what they are planning to do?"

"Authorities say they are hesitant to investigate these beings, as these have given no cause for concern."

"Here in Tokyo we are used to these strange events, but the rest of the world is hurtling out of control. If something isn't done soon..."

"Reported estimates thus far come to around 330 beings, five of them recently found in our own city of New York."

"None of the individuals rounded up thus far have shown any signs of hostility or powers. The Sailor Senshi in Tokyo met with city officials to better the care of these Others. Could they be related in some way?"

"We need to do something about these people. They are a threat to our national security, to our livelihoods. Too long, the world allowed this 'supernatural explosion' to reign. We must investigate these aliens and find out their true methods by any means at our disposal. We should also investigate that Sailor Senshi in Japan. This must end."

"The polls show that 73% of those living in the city of London think something should be done about these extraterrestrials."

"The world count of Others has risen to two thousand, one hundred and eighty-two."

"I just want my husband back, no matter what he is."

"Family members of these unveiled Others have suffered persecutions, abuse on the streets and also their houses vandalized and ransacked. Police are uncertain how to handle this situation."

"Situations have greatly improved around the globe due to the Sailor Senshi's constant involvement and there is hope that a peaceful and final resolution can be made soon. In a few days, a special World Council meeting will be held to discuss the fate of the Others."

"This just in! Explosions have rocked New York City at the refugee camp. One of the Others emitted a powerful energy that expanded in a forty foot radius. The blast killed police and nearby spectators, but did no harm to any of the Others. The individual responsible for these fatalities could not be found. As you can imagine, it's chaos down there now. We can't imagine the death toll, but at the time it was twenty, with three children included."

"And that's the report of the attack in America so far. We will—wait, hold on. Breaking news here in Sydney. It seems there's been an attack at the city's camp as well. We're getting live footage now. Oh my God!"

"Eight major camps around the globe have experienced violence and a growing number of dead around the complexes. It seems that only one individual in each location is responsible for the destruction, but no Others are hurt in the proceeding rampages. These individuals were extremely powerful, however, and in Paris the culprit was able to decimate three blocks of housing before disappearing. So far the overall death toll seems to be in the four hundreds."

"I've never seen so much blood in all my life! All-all those people slaughtered!"

"They should all be destroyed!"

"The only major refugee that remained silent was the Tokyo location. Some have questioned if it is because the Sailor Senshi's presence stopped any attacks before they began or perhaps they orchestrated these horrific mass killings."

"The many massacres around the globe have been the last straw with anti-Others factions, and an all-out witch hunt has been declared by some groups. Authorities seem overwhelmed by the growing mass of this opposition. You are advised not to leave your homes..."

"Where are the Sailor Senshi?"

"Armageddon is upon us all."

.

The horror the last few hours had finally reached Tokyo to jolt the city from its slumber. Panic was beginning to sweep across the globe like a deadly tidal wave and now crashed upon their shores. Everyone cried out for the Sailor Senshi, but they were nowhere to be found. Rumors began to spread that they were the ones responsible for the mayhem, or that they had been destroyed by some new, rising force. The sky boomed with dark intent and the Senshi, hidden and hesitant, could do nothing but wait in the shrine for the storm to hit.

Umino's legs shook violently as he hid himself from sight just outside that historical structure. He could picture them gathered in the safety of the shrine, closed off from the chaos that now overtook the city. Since the announcement a constant loop of angry sirens rang out in the city, sporadic shouts and cries rising into an endless crescendo. He needed help, Naru needed help, and he was unsure as to where else to turn. They would help him, he was sure of it. After all, she was their friend, and he knew Usagi would never turn her back on a loved one. He wondered what was keeping them from culling the nerves of those in Tokyo and around the globe. They had been fighting so hard for Naru and those like her that he found it inconceivable that they would simply give up now.

Umino's darting and fearful mind began to work against him. He envisioned his reception met by cold faces, hardened eyes and callous words. If they refused him, he would take his plea to the police, bargain their identities in return for Naru's freedom. It would be a betrayal, but what else could he do? Maybe they were all dead inside, killed by some enemy they thought friend. Umino shook his head free of such dark thoughts. Over the past few hours a heavy, troubling cloud seemed to have settled over him, and angry things flew through his mind. It was becoming even gloomier outside, the heat seemingly being sucked out of the air. It was hard to hope.

As he nervously shook with indecision, he failed to notice the figure that slowly crept in the shadows near his vantage point. It was seeking a hiding place of its own, searching for its prize. For a moment it ignored the worthless human and focused its emerald eyes on the shrine.

A sinister smirk played on her lips as she reached inside her mind, easily finding her mistress' energy.

'Have you found them, Calaveras?'

'Yes, My Queen. They are at the Hikawa shrine in Tokyo. Their energy was easy to pick up. Someone else is here that you might find interesting.'

'Is that a fact?'

'Yes, the Shitennou.' She could feel her queen's grin within her mind.

'Excellent. We may begin.'

'There is a human here spying on them as well.'

'Show me.'

She turned her eyes towards Umino and for a moment they pulsed red.

'He is someone they know and he knows their identities. His heart is filled with indecision and worry. Another example of a weak minded human. Take him for he might be of some use. Luck, it seems, is on our side this time.'

'As you wish.'

With the connection broken, Calaveras silently made her way towards him.

.

"What are we going to do now?"

The question had raced through their minds more than once since the news of Usagi's pregnancy and that of the damage outside. They were overwhelmed, the fear slowly leaking its way from outside their enclosure into each of them. Twenty minutes ago, Ami had rushed into the shrine to tell those in attendance the devastating news. Makoto and three of the Outer Senshi had agreed to guard the arena and fled the shrine almost as soon as Ami finished. Pluto was still nowhere to be found.

"We'll call for reinforcements if we need it," Haruka had said before flying away.

Mamoru talked passionately with city officials on the phone, but refused to leave Usagi. They could hear his voice rising and falling in the next room. Deep in meditation, Rei and Nephrite tried to find the location of the eight murderers or to locate the source of this strange power with their divination powers. Ami and Zoisite worked furiously on their computers trying to do the same thing with their technical prowess.

Everyone tried to do their best to fight the calamity, but they were lost in the dark. They felt like captives on a dock waiting for their prison ship to arrive. With all their new powers and enlightened states of mind they were coming up wanting.

Mamoru returned to the room with all the poise of a tsunami. It was obvious he was pained from his family's struggles and those of his home world. With the resurgence of his long lost powers, Mamoru could feel the Earth quake beneath him. He had always been able to touch it, but now it was reaching back.

"The authorities want us to make a public statement in thirty minutes. Minako, do you think you're up for it?" he asked.

"I'll have to be," she replied.

"They also suggested that one of us go to each of the sites where the attacks happened. The governor thinks it might quell a lot of the rebellion and put people's minds at ease. Our absence has gone noted and it's not helping our friends," Mamoru added.

"It is a good idea, although…" Ami stopped, furrowing her brow. "It's rather convenient. Eight sites were attacked and there are eight Senshi. It could be just coincidence, or it could be some force trying to draw us out and separate us."

"Have you and Zoisite found any clues?" Minako asked.

"We haven't found anything suspicious. All my readings are coming back with very little in terms of dark energy. I wasn't able to record any of the attacks, however, so I'm not even sure if those who attacked were using negative forces or something else. From what I remember, not many Lunarians had powers besides the royal families. So it must be someone from one of the other planets, even though magic use everywhere was rather rare."

"Or it's a new enemy from somewhere else completely," Zoisite suggested.

"Have they come up with anything?" Mamoru nodded to the two silent members of the group, Rei and Nephrite. Nephrite sat with his legs crossed, while Rei folded her hands in front of her face in prayer.

"They haven't come out of it, so I'm guessing they haven't found anything yet." Jadeite responded.

"You might be right, Ami-chan, but not going is really a risk I don't think we can take," Mamoru said. "If we don't do something quickly, it'll be too late to help them."

"Okay then," Minako spoke up, rising to her feet. "We'll divide and conquer. I'll make the press conference and then head off to a city right after."

"But there aren't eight of you," Usagi spoke up for the first time since her tears had dried. "Setsuna-san is still missing."

"Right. Well, two of the attacks were in the United States so one of us will just have to split our time between the two locations," Minako decided. "Ami-chan, give me that list of cities attacked and I'll call the others."

"And what if it's a diversion?" Kunzite spoke up.

"What do you mean?" Mamoru asked.

"With the Sailor Senshi gone, the only major refugee camp left untouched will also be unguarded. What if there is something here that whoever is behind this wants? Some power or a person, perhaps? These attacks were too close to one another in timing not to be planned for some purpose."

"It could have been something as simple as sending a message, or it could be part of a larger plan," Jadeite added.

"It's another chance we're going to have to take," Minako replied and then turned her eyes to the Shitennou. She looked at each of them, weighing something within her mind. She paused at Kunzite. There were wisps of shadows under his eyes, letting her know he must have received as much sleep as she did after their battle. There was a firmness in his manner though, as if nothing had changed and it was all she expected of Prince Endymion's right hand. He would fight on, even if a hidden part of him was decaying. She could see the same dedication in all their eyes.

"But we're not leaving this city undefended," she continued. "The Shitennou will watch over it in our place."

The group of generals seemed more surprised by her proclamation than the rest of the room. They shared looks with one another and their prince. When no one argued, they seemed to sit a little straighter.

"Of course. We will defend it with honor," said Kunzite. "But we cannot leave the prince and princess without our protection either. Two of us will remain here, while the others watch over the arena."

"I'll go with the Shitennou too, so if anything happens I can communicate with Luna here at the shrine, or with any of the Senshi in the field," Artemis pitched in. Minako gave him a smile of appreciation and he nodded back, firm in his support.

"You can't hurt anyone," Usagi spoke up, addressing Shitennou and Senshi alike. "Everyone is afraid, but they're all still human. We have to bring them hope and peace, not violence."

"We'll do our best, Usagi-san. None of us want to hurt anyone," Ami assured.

"Well, if that's all settled, then-"

Just then Rei and Nephrite both startled out of their meditation, horror on their faces and in the way they gasped for air. A second later the whole world shook. A loud, haunting screech rendered the air outside and the walls reverberated from the force. They covered their ears until the monstrosity stopped to find it replaced by all too human sounds of panic.

"What the hell was that?" Zoisite exclaimed.

"Outside!" Everybody followed in the wake of Minako's clicking heels, but haulted dead in their tracks by what met their eyes when the door was pushed open.

Tokyo was gradually being transformed into an arctic tundra. They watched in shock as an icy wave enveloped one building after the next. Citizens rushed chaotically in all directions with some being devoured by the rapacious wave. Snow fell around them and its frosty touch was painful. Amongst all the uproar a huge, crackling red light shot up from the center of the city. The clouds aloft had been turned jet-black by its evil, and now the whole world seemed to moan as it was pulled into this beacon of death and disaster.

"This power," Rei whispered. "It seems familiar."

"Yes, I've seen this before," Ami added. "Somewhere…sometime…"

"Come on! We can't just stand here!" Minako's commanding voice broke through their staring torpors. "We have to go help! Everybody transform, quickly! Ami-chan, call the others and tell them to meet us at that source of light. Usagi-chan, come with me."

As Minako firmly led Usagi back into the shrine, the others did as they were told with a distracted automation. "Usagi, you have to stay here."

The former Moon Princess turned and gawked at her friend. "I can't stay here like this. I have to help!"

"You can't Usagi!" argued Minako. "You're not Sailor Moon anymore and if you use too much of your power…"

"She's right, Usa," Mamoru shouted as he charged back into the shrine with his guardians close behind. "The Sailor Senshi can handle this."

"Mamoru-" She opened her mouth to object, but he put a gentle finger to her lips.

"Go transform and get everyone ready, Minako-chan. "

"Right."

As the world shook beneath them, the two lovers stood in silence. Usagi knew they were right. She would only be a burden right now when her powers were under question. She had dreamed for the last six years not to have this magic, this destiny, and now that it was out of her grasp she wished for nothing more than the power to protect the people she cared about.

"Kunzite, you and the others need to help them," Mamoru was saying above her.

"We are not leaving you-"

"I'm not asking you," Mamoru interrupted, his voice hardened. "I'll stay here with Usagi and keep watch from afar."

"Mamo-chan." Usagi reached out and wrapped her arms around his chest. She could feel his heart beating and marveled at how he always managed to keep it steady in such moments heightened with danger. It never failed to calm her. "Go with them, too."

"I can't leave you here alone," he said, pulling her away.

"Luna and Artemis will be with me. I can still use my power to protect myself to some extent. I'm not completely helpless. But I will stay hidden and safe and if I have to I will run far from here. I'm not going to let anything happen to her."

He looked at her a moment before pulling her hand into his. "I believe it's her too, Usa. With everything I am. I believe it's her."

She could see him hesitate, but there was a new strength in his eyes and stance. His was filling up with a purpose, a determination and drive to protect a planet that was his own. He was becoming the king and warrior they desperately needed. As if, for a moment, the world didn't exist, Mamoru cupped her face and bridged the space between them. They shared a kiss full of promise, hope and love that not even the darkest of times could dim after all these years.

"I love you, Usako. Forever."

"I know. I love you, too Mamo-chan. Come back to me."

"Luna, Artemis-"

"We know," the felines swore. "We know some shortcuts and passages out of the city, if it comes to that. We won't let you down."

A final chaste kiss goodbye and they were gone, leaving Usagi behind with her hand raised like a beacon of hope and love for her friends and family to find in the darkness.

.

"The source of all this madness is obviously at the center of the city. The Imperial Palace is practically covered in dark energy," Mercury said as they bolted through Tokyo's disheveled streets, her visor feeding her information. "I'm getting particularly disturbing readings."

"What particular readings?" Venus asked.

"This energy pattern is very familiar. The computer is having a hard time getting a precise lock on it with all the electromagnetic disturbances in the air, but it's running a scan of previous enemies."

"Keep at it, Mercury. If it's something familiar, we might already know its weakness," Mamoru said from behind the mask of Tuxedo Kamen.

Figures swooped in from the sides or above as the rest of their ranks joined the formation. "There's ice all over the outer edges of the city and it just keeps expanding," Uranus informed.

"And the arena?"

"Half of it got caught in an ice wave, but no one was hurt. We told them to get down in the basements until this passes over," Neptune replied.

They watched the crowds as they rushed past. While most seemed to hide or were evacuating the city, there were some that gave way to fear and became violent as chaos descended upon them. Angry shouts rang out as punches were thrown blindly and cars were set on fire. It was like Death Phantom's return all over again. Some of the citizens noticed the Sailor Senshi's progress and threw bottles and slurs at them while others attempted to grab at them without success. All this confusion struck a chord in their memories, but they pressed on.

"This evil, it's strong," Mars commented. "All that time we were in the shrine it was masking itself from us, especially Nephrite and I. Only in that second before did we sense anything and it came at us with full force. That must mean it knows who we are, what we can do. Even now, I can't even penetrate its barrier in the slightest."

"It's like it's mocking us," Nephrite put in.

"Whoever they are, they obviously mean business. We're not going to be able to play this one easy," Jupiter added. "If it's pain they want, then that's what they'll get."

As they grew nearer the trembling of the Earth grew stronger. A deep, ominous feeling crept up through their feet and legs and settled within their breasts. Mamoru and each of the Sailor Senshi knew what awaited just blocks away. It was the gateway to their future, to the beginning of Crystal Tokyo and whatever disaster had brought upon its eventual creation. The air began to sizzle with a dark power more violent than they had ever felt. There was no going back, but they wondered, even with their new powers and full forms, if they would all make it out of this one alive.

"Haruka..."

"I know Michiru."

They raced on, growing closer and closer to the center of the city. When only a few more turns would bring them close to the palace, Tuxedo Kamen had them come to a halt.

"We shouldn't rush in there without knowing what we're up against," he cautioned. "Mercury, Uranus, go up to the top of this building and see what is out there."

The two Senshi nodded and jumped into the air, sailing higher than any normal human could. Gracefully they climbed ramparts of steel and glass until they disappeared over the edge of the office building. Those bound to the ground waited as the world cried out around them with nerves set alight by fear and a desire for retribution.

After a tense two minutes, Mercury's voice crackled through their communicators. "There's a large circle of black energy surrounding the whole palace, with the red light rising further above. We can't see anything beyond the nearest bridge. There aren't any citizens around and we can't see any enemies in sight. There's no one at all," she revealed.

"We'll go in quick and steady, but stay alert. We'll cross the bridge and see how close we can get," Tuxedo Kamen ordered. "Mercury and Uranus, meet us on the other side of the building."

As Kunzite went to step in line with his brothers he was abruptly pulled away. Instinct had him reach for his sword until he felt soft and familiar lips on his own. The Shitennou hardly had to focus his eyes to see who his assailant was now. She pressed herself impossible close, clutching his uniform in hard fists. Her body spoke of hunger and need and he could feel her emotions wash through him. Despite it all, Kunzite reached out to hold her. For a moment, amongst the thundering destruction and shaking buildings, they stole a kiss as passionate as was fit for the Senshi of Venus.

All too soon she pulled away, leaving a searing ache behind. Her blue eyes burned in the darkness. And with that she let him go, falling out of his embrace to rejoin the others. Everyone but Nephrite was looking elsewhere, and the dark haired general gave him a quirky grin.

"All right," Mamoru said, gripping his ancient sword. "Let's go."

.

As soon as the Senshi had left, he crept out of the shadows and slowly made his way towards the shrine. The recently deposited snow softly crunched beneath Umino's heels, but he could no longer hear what was going on around him. His whole being was focused on one dark goal.

Usagi cut a line across the shrine with nervous feet, just as she had done a few hours before in their apartment. This time her thoughts were quite different, but her anxiety still pounded against her chest. Luna and Artemis did their best to console her even if they were apprehensive themselves.

"It will be okay, Usagi-chan," Artemis said reassuringly.

"I hate leaving them to fight this battle alone," Usagi told her guardians.

"They're trained soldiers. It's what they were born to do."

"No Luna, we were reborn to be happy, to lead normal lives," Usagi sighed and finally sat down. She looked at her hands, counting on each finger those she loved and had yet to love. Where was fate taking them this time? "This is not the peace we were supposed to find."

Luna and Artemis looked at each other and for a moment, the three could do nothing but listen to the constant rumble from outside.

"Usagi-"

Luna was interrupted as the shrine's door was thrown wide open. Lightning and thunder crashed outside, and a strong, icy wind rushed in to chill their souls. Luna and Artemis clung as hard as they could to the carpet beneath them, but Usagi was caught and flung against the far wall.

"Usagi!" Artemis exclaimed.

The wind died down and slowly Usagi propped herself up, grasping her bruised head. She looked up and found a dark outline set against an even darker sky.

"Who are you?" Artemis demanded. Slowly the shadows fell away and Usagi gasped.

"Umino!" Usagi rose to her feet shakily, stepped forward to see her friend more clearly and was surprised at what she found. It was Umino, but not as she remembered him. His glasses revealed eyes filled with a frigid, dark light and his face no longer held its energetic luster. "Umino?"

"Usagi..." His voice was deep and monotone and Artemis and Luna stepped between him and their charge. "You have to come with me."

"I don't understand, Umino. What's wrong?"

"Please Usagi, please just come." His hands began to shake at his side.

"Umino-"

"I'm sorry, Usagi!" he yelled as a red, electric fire engulfed him.

"Usagi, no!" Luna and Artemis screamed.

.

They crossed the bridge and stood before the northernmost gate leading into the palace grounds. The great doors were thrown open, but a wall of dark energy barred their entrance.

"Mercury?"

"I'm not getting much of a reading from the barrier. It's like it's not really there, but there's definitely a very powerful energy source behind it. I'd say it's coming from the palace itself," she revealed.

"What if-" The barrier rippled before them and pulled apart at the center like curtains on stage. Whatever was beyond was waiting and calling them to the final act. The group of powerful soldiers moved forward and passed beneath the gate two at a time. With the final pair through, the barrier closed behind them. Jupiter put a hand up to it tentatively and found it impassible. They would most likely not be getting out the way they came.

"No…"

At Mars' pained murmur, the lightning Senshi turned around to view the damage. There was nothing but a bitter apocalypse before them. The painful pressure and noise that had swirled around outside was replaced by an eerie silence that almost seemed worse. The large art building to their left stood like a frozen mountain. Everything was covered in ice, from trees to cars, to blades of grass. Only a small path down the pavement was left uncovered and beckoned them to their fate.

As they passed the chilled science building down the road, they stumbled upon the first casualties.

"Oh no, there's people in the ice!" Jupiter exclaimed.

There were a dozen or so humans in various positions. Some looked caught in mid stride, while others were perpetually opening car doors or clutching someone close. Mercury went up to the nearest victim. It was a man in mid call, a surprised look on his glacial face. The aqua haired Senshi watched the numbers and diagrams race by on her visor and then was looking beyond it, a tormented look in her wide eyes.

"They're still alive, but their life forces are slowly being drained. Whatever is out there, I think it must be using them for more power. They'll maybe last a few days, or less, depending on how much energy is taken at once," she announced. For a moment, they joined the captured in this icy cemetery as they stood shocked with disbelief and remorse.

Sailor Venus' voice broke them out of their prisons. "Let's finish this."

Subdued, but unable to drop their guard, they continued on the path laid out for them. They passed more scenes of carnage and destruction. Tuxedo Kamen picked up the pace ahead, trying to distance them from the horrors abound. When they reached the perimeter of the palace grounds the scenery changed. Ice and snow were nowhere to be found and summer still reigned, but there was an air of desolation that belonged to harsher seasons.

They walked across the ancient double arched bridge and through the jade colored doors of the main gate. They didn't have to wait long to find the source of malevolence. She stood in the center of the expansive courtyard with hands clasped casually. There was no wind circling the paved stones, but her twisted, blue hair moved on its own accord. Her wicked smile brought back lifetimes of hard memories and in her transformed eyes they found a new reason to fear the sorceress before them.

"Hello, my loves."


	12. Chapter 12

_"Princess Serenity, remember this. The Phantom Silver Crystal depends entirely on your heart."*_

"You!" Mars shouted.

"How is this possible?" Jupiter said.

"Serenity destroyed you and I killed you. There should have been nothing left of either of you!" Venus yelled.

Beryl narrowed her eyes. The beacon of scarlet energy behind her flickered out of existence and the courtyard was doused in shadow. "Yes you are correct," she replied as she slowly made her way down toward them, her eyes full of sinister playfulness. "But your beloved Serenity failed as had her predecessor. The seal was imperfect."

"What are you talking about?" Tuxedo Kamen demanded.

"Lunarians and their emotions," she scoffed. She focused her eyes dangerously on the masked vigilante and he shifted uneasily beneath her gaze. "The young princess kept a part of the crystal to herself trying to keep you alive. Queen Serenity before her was too distraught from watching her daughter plunge a sword in her heart and witnessing her kingdom in ashes. In the end love is just a curse, isn't it? You of all people should know that, Venus."

Venus let her mouth hang open in shock before stubbornly shutting it tight, anger making her jaw tremble. The Senshi stood in silent surprise, each remembering their first battle, the start of it all in this lifetime. Queen Beryl snickered at their silence. She stopped ten paces away and gazed at them like a buffet.

"Too shocked to speak? I don't blame you. It's not every day you are surprised by your past. Of course, you've been getting a lot of that lately from what I see." She turned her eyes to the Shitennou. "I'm happy to see you were resurrected by the princess' wish as well."

"You know of it?" Nephrite asked.

"Oh yes, but that silly princess has no idea what she is doing with that crystal yet, does she? It's a shame only her bloodline can wield it."

"Do not speak of her like that!" Uranus erupted.

"Hmm," Beryl shrugged indifferently. "It is her doing that I stand here before you, just like all those Lunarians, Venusians, Martians and the like whose memories she's resurfaced. She's created a dangerous world and I am merely taking advantage of her hospitality."

"We will not let you get away with anything, Beryl," Venus said, confidently stepping forward. "We are stronger, and we are many, and this time we will finish the job."

"I've been conscious for six years, watching as others of my kind tried to take that crystal away from Princess Serenity. Watched as you struggled, watched as they ultimately failed. I have been waiting and the wench's wish was the perfect opportunity. You may be stronger, but you are also at your weakest. I destroyed your whole precious Silver Millennium in one day so what makes you think I can't take on the full power of the Sailor Senshi? And," Beryl laughed loudly, a large, ugly smile creeping over her face. "What makes you think I am fighting alone?"

A strange vibration moved through the air and eight figures shimmered into view behind the dark queen. Those that recognized the people with warped insignias etched of their faces could not believe their eyes. They had seen them before, not in some ancient kingdom, but in this life and thought they saw the last of them for a while to come.

"It can't be," Mamoru whispered.

"Yes, so I thought as well," Beryl said in triumph. "I could not find them during my previous stay for they were cloaked well by your lovely queen's wish. But I did not have to locate them this time. They graciously came to me."

"Of course. I remember now," Mercury spoke up. "They were there, long ago. In the Silver Millennium. The Black Moon Clan and the Ayakashi Sisters."

"You mean the people that came from the future after Chibi-Usa?" Uranus repeated, looking concerned and confused.

"We knew they were from Earth, but we didn't think to see them in the present before Crystal Tokyo was created," Mercury explained.

"Surprise," Demando said. "Although I am interested in hearing all about our future exploits."

"You might not be so excited when you hear we killed all of you," Jupiter replied, causing his smirk to falter a bit.

"Well this is all very pleasant, but we should perhaps get to the main event. Ah, but one of your kind is missing, isn't she? The most important one of all. I wouldn't want to start the end without her," spoke Beryl.

"What are you talking-?"

"Bring her out!" Beryl shouted over Tuxedo Kamen and they watched as Umino escorted Usagi out of the bleakness towards them. Uncaring, he cast her to the ground at Beryl's feet.

"Usako!" Tuxedo Kamen cried and raced to her. Beryl only smiled as he ran into her hidden shield only a few feet away. He pounded his fists against it, cursing Beryl's name. Usagi glanced at the people around her, her surprised eyes touching each of them.

"What's going on?" she breathed out.

"Thank you, my child," Beryl approached Umino, running a long nailed finger down his cheek. "You did your job perfectly." He ignored her and looked down at Usagi sadly.

"Umino, why?" whispered Usagi.

"I promised him I would set his friend free if he did what I asked," the witch queen answered.

"It's Naru," Umino whispered.

"Naru?" Usagi repeated. Her eyes caught alight with remembrance. "I had forgotten. How could I have allowed this to happen? She was there, too, long ago."

Beryl clicked her tongue. "You see, even in the end your friends will betray you."

Usagi only smiled. "It's okay, Umino. I forgive you. I understand why you would do this now."

"Lunarian bitch!" A hard crack echoed off the remaining buildings as Beryl slapped Usagi's soft cheek. "You are a fool to be so naïve after all this time."

"How dare you touch her!" Venus yelled, pounding against the barrier. Beryl materialized in front of the soldier in gold in a flash, her eyes searing with hatred.

"You will have your turn as well. Do not think I have forgotten what you did to this body. I will repay you shortly enough." A tall shadow swept across Beryl's face as someone stepped close to Venus. She moved away to better see his chiseled face.

"So good to see you again, Kunzite. Perhaps I will have you tear out her heart and shove it down her throat. Would you like that, First Shitennou?"

"I will never do such a thing again," he swore.

Beryl huffed. "Do not be so sure. There aren't many bonds stronger than the one you promised to me."

She turned her back on them and they watched as their adversaries gathered behind the barrier. Usagi had risen to her feet, a look of determination wavering with fear in her eyes. Beryl reached out a hand and manacles shot out of the ground and chomped down on Usagi's wrists. She cried out as she was forced to her knees.

"Stay awhile, Princess," Beryl purred as she approached. She ignored the protests from Tuxedo Kamen and the Senshi as she placed a long, painted nail under Usagi's chin. Scarlet eyes gazed into baby blue. "Fate seems to enjoy driving us together. We may never have met had you not flown down from your ivory tower. Now we all must suffer from your one moment of weakness."

"Beryl…"

The malevolent mage looked away before those innocent orbs could pull her in. She looked back towards those beyond her shield. The ancient woman and force within her could feel the Earth trembling in anticipation, could feel the pull of the Golden Crystal resting within her ex-lover's chest. Soon it would all be hers, his heart included.

"Let it begin." A twisted staff appeared in her hands. It was sleek and black, a warped thing with dangerous thorns snaking their way to a spiraled top. In the nest of brambles rested a garnet orb. With a force, she jabbed the sharpened point into the ground. Cracks came towards Senshi and Shitennou like tree roots and disappeared beneath their feet. They felt a rumbling behind them and turned just in time to see ten youma appear out of the ground like hideous daisies. They looked like wolves, but stood on powerful hind legs as claws swatted at the air. Their faces were all sharp angles and even sharper teeth between long snouts. They growled and howled at their opposition, mouths watering at the sight of prey.

"Well, should we show them what they're up against this time?" Mars suggested.

"Yes, I think it's time to test out our new powers. Me first! Jupiter Dragon Storm!" Jupiter brought her hands over her head as they crackled with electric power. They watched as three beams shot forth, crossing the distance between Jupiter and her intended targets. The lightening quickly turning into heads of terrifying dragons snarling at their enemies. They swarmed around their prey until all at once they engulfed the youma, who disintegrated in mere seconds.

"Wow Jupiter, I want one of those!" Venus said excitedly.

"Hm, I see. I guess we'll have to even the odds a little." Beryl once again jabbed her staff downwards and soon the rubble around the Sailor Senshi was covered in a blanket of wolf-like youma.

"This is more like it. Let's go!" Uranus shouted enthusiastically and together she and Neptune lashed out at the enemies nearest them.

"Neptune Hurricane Collision!" Wind and water combined to rip through the youma, shearing their bodies apart with its tremendous turbulence.

"Uranus Supernova Strike!" At that moment, Youma were sucked helplessly into the enormous orange energy whirlpool that Uranus had produced. When it could hold no more, it imploded, destroying the youma within and sent a great shockwave of energy through the ranks of the surrounding minions.

"Mars Promethean Wave!" A great tidal wave of lava poured forth from Mars' hands and washed its way through countless youma, leaving only a few trying to put out the flames quickly engulfing them.

Mars watched as Mercury's Glacial Freeze rained down a shower of dangerous sharp spears of ice that tore through their targets without reprieve. "Hey Mercury, I've got an idea!" They conversed for a few seconds as a great number of youma fast approached.

"All right, let's do it!" Mercury nodded. Both knelt upon the ground and placed their hands together upon the destroyed stone.

"Torrid Surprise!" they yelled in unison. The ground beneath the youma suddenly shook and they stopped and looked down in confusion. Without warning, the earth beneath them erupted as water and fire blending to produce dangerous geysers, and in seconds, vaporized their targets.

"Awesome!" The two Senshi laughed, celebrating their achievement.

From the sidelines, Usagi watched as her Senshi stormed through their opponents with frightening ease. Tuxedo Kamen, the Shitennou and Venus had come to stand as close as they could to with her with the force field up, mesmerized by what they saw.

"They're so powerful now," Usagi marveled.

"Are you sure you're all right, Usagi?" Venus turned to her.

"Yes, Umino didn't hurt me all that much."

"How could he do such a thing?" Venus said, clenching her fists.

"Beryl brainwashed him," her princess answered.

"She's very good at that," Jadeite snarled. Beryl and her dark Lunarians stood off to the side. They did nothing to assist the youma, nor did they pay the small rescue squad much notice. They simply watched. "Look at her standing over there. I want nothing more than to ram my sword through her repulsive face."

"We need to find a way to get through this barrier." Venus ran her hand over it again, trying to feel for any weaknesses.

"This is all my fault," Usagi whispered.

"No Usagi-chan, don't think that. You did what your heart told you to do, and when has that ever been wrong? So don't blame yourself, okay?"

Usagi nodded at Venus. "Okay."

"Hey guys, watch out!" At Jupiter's warning, they looked up to notice a group of youma headed their way. The Shitennou and Tuxedo Kamen readied their swords while Venus stood in front of them.

"Oh no you don't! Venus Raptured Haze!" A quick, golden mist flew over the group and as the youma inhaled, they stopped dead in their tracks as if stunned. They looked around in confusion before suddenly attacking those next to them, forgetting about the soldiers around their pack.

"Get them Jupiter!"

Jupiter unleashed her attack and the youma were vanquished before they knew what hit them. "That's a cool trick, Venus," she said.

"Look out Mako-chan!" Usagi suddenly screamed. Jupiter had little time to react at the approaching youma from her back, but she needn't have worried as Venus launched another devastating attack.

"Venus Love Chain Ache!" The Senshi in gold twirled her love chain and they watched as imprints of the hearts flew off to encircle every single youma, crushing them to dust.

"What! You have two new attacks? That's not fair!" Jupiter shook her head.

Venus flashed her V symbol with a smile. "I'm the leader!"

"Who wants to finish off the rest of them?" Uranus asked.

"Let me," Saturn's small voice answered. She stepped forward and raised her glaive. "Saturn Silence Plague." A dark, black energy hit the closest youma, coming out of Saturn's weapon like a deadly fog and the witless minion could only watch as Saturn's attack settled on its body. It braced itself for a harsh impact, but everyone was surprised to find it still standing when the haze cleared.

"Saturn-"

"Watch." The youma was ready to attack when suddenly its eyes grew large, and sickly, purple spots quickly began to take over every part of its skin. It ruptured into a thousand pieces and purple spores landed on the nearby youma. A chain reaction raced through their ranks like a fatal disease until none remained.

"Eeks, Saturn. Make sure I'm never your enemy," Mars cringed.

With that, the battlefield once littered with youma was empty and though winded, the Senshi stood victorious before their rivals.

"Impressive," Beryl drawled.

"Are you done getting your gooneys to fight for you, coward?" Uranus called out.

"'Know thine enemies'," Beryl quoted. "I will admit I was foolish in my last attempt to overthrow this world. But I have waited and I have planned much better than that foolish Death Phantom. Plus, your dear princess has given me the perfect opportunity. If you think I am going to waste this chance by being careless as you have, you are greatly mistaken."

"Careless?" Uranus repeated.

"You have shown me the limits of your new powers."

Once more, the self-proclaimed queen waved her staff and the ground shook violently this time, uprooting trees and cracking the damaged pavement around them. The Senshi fell to the ground, holding onto whatever they could. They could feel the energy coming from somewhere deeper, somewhere forgotten and evil. More youma ascended from the subterranean pit, but this time they were taller, stronger, their faces hideous with evil and anger. They were not the mindless followers anymore. These were Beryl's warriors.

The Senshi were quick to get back on their feet and tried not to let their apprehension at these new enemies show. Mars was the first to step forward. "Promethean Wave!" The lava rushed over them, but the Senshi gasped when the youma resurfaced mostly unscathed from the powerful rush of power.

"Oh no!" Usagi muttered.

"Somehow she's been able to level up her youma with us. She must have a great store of dark energy somewhere!" Mercury said as she scanned the advancing throng.

"Venus, you must help them now. I'll protect her," Tuxedo Kamen urged and she agreed.

"Right." She and ran towards the others. "We have to work together now. Don't let them separate us!"

Usagi watched as her friends braced themselves against the onslaught. Bright colors of every shade lit up her face as her friends fought for their future, her future. However, Usagi's hope that they might yet be victorious was slipping away as the battle continued. Few too many youma were falling as the result of their attacks, and soon some of the Senshi were fighting hand to hand with these advanced foes. Usagi grasped the fabric of her dirty pants tightly, a frustrated cry coming from her pale lips as Mars was hit across the stomach and sent flying backwards.

"Rei!-chan" She moved forward, but the cuffs held her cruelly in place.

"We should help them!" Nephrite said as his eyes focused on the fallen red suited soldier.

"We can't leave the prince and princess. We are their only defense if this battle is lost," Kunzite reasoned, but even he forcefully removed his strong grip from his sword.

"Mars, are you okay?" Venus gently helped her sister up.

Jupiter grunted as she deflected a shot in their direction. "Mars?"

"Yes I'm fine," Mars growled, eyeing down the youma responsible.

"Promethean Wave!" She directed the wave solely at it and it could not withstand the energy this time.

"That's it!" Mercury shouted. "We need to concentrate our powers, a more direct beam!"

"Good idea! Hurricane Collision!" The tight tunnel of power shot through the mass, leaving a clean line where youma had been only moments before.

"They have grown since our last encounter. Even stronger than the first time we met so long ago," Beryl reflected as she stood with her own group of soldiers.

"Do you believe they will win this battle?" asked Demando.

"Yes."

"Will you make another army then?"

"No, they will be ready for you," Beryl answered.

Esmeraude smiled. "Good."

"First things first." Beryl withdrew her eyes from the battle and focused them towards her newest prey. "I do believe the prince has something that belongs to me."

"Look, they're winning!" Zoisite exclaimed as Saturn's Silence Plague destroyed a pack of youma without mercy.

"No!" Those close to the shield turned back towards Tuxedo Kamen's shout and the pained moaned of Usagi. Beryl sauntered up towards them with a hand raised. The chains bounding Usagi were scrapping to follow their mistress, dragging the blonde behind. When the red dressed woman stood as close as was permitted she stopped to regard them with twisted lips.

"Let her go, Beryl," Tuxedo Kamen demanded.

"And get nothing in return? How about a trade? Give me back my favorite pets," she said, pointing to the Shitennou. "And I will let you have your precious princess."

The Prince of Earth looked between his former friends and his wife, a pained expression showing even through his white mask.

Beryl laughed. "Let me make it easier you for. I will just take them."

Her eyes flashed a brilliant red as she turned towards the Shitennou. At first, nothing seemed to happen until they glanced down at their feet. A black goo was pooling beneath their feet and latching onto their shoes with sticky tendrils. It began to crawl up their calves and legs, rooting them to the spot as the soldiers were slowly consumed.

"No, not again!" Zoisite yelled, despair in his eyes.

Another flash of brilliance caught their attention and a wave of energy poured over them. It was different from the darkness around them and pushed back the oppression. As it settled into their skin, the inky substance entrapping them stopped advancing and turned a sickly gray color. Cracks appeared and all at once the malaise fell away to disappear as ash on the wind.

Prince Endymion stood with his hand outstretched towards his comrades, his hat and cane replaced with pristine suit of armor and sword. He pulsed with an aura of sunshine as the Kinzuishou answered his call. The royal and his guard shared a look of loyalty and love and despite the circumstances, found themselves grinning.

On the other side of the shield, Beryl seethed. "You would save them?"

"They are mine. Whatever magic you used will never be as strong as the destiny we share. I will not let you turn their hearts black again," Endymion swore.

"You would save them," Beryl repeated and suddenly wore a too human emotion on her face. She pounded against the barrier, her expression one of betrayal. "And you would abandon me?"

Endymion looked at her, seeing the powerful, yet troubled, woman she had once been long ago. Fate had driven them all apart, but at one time the prince had five people he could trust with his life and kingdom.

"I can save you too, Beryl," he declared, his voice gentle amidst the sounds of battle. "Drop this screen and reunite us all."

She gazed at him a moment longer with eyes that shimmered from red to amethyst before she bowed her head and waves of sea colored hair washed over her face. The hand upon the barrier became a claw and she dragged her nails down. A horrid screeching filled their ears and made them flinch. When she raised her head back up, Beryl's eyes burned.

"It's much too late for that," she croaked and turned her deadly eyes to Usagi. With her hand still sharp with mal intent, she made towards the captive princess.

"Usa!" Endymion raised his palm again, but at the thing between him and his beloved. Radiant light shot out and blasted against the wall. It moaned against the force, buckling slightly, but refused to break. The prince did not give up and pushed even further, pouring his wishes into the crystal at his heart. As the barrier groaned again, Beryl cast a backwards eye towards her former ruler's actions. She sneered.

"Prince Demando!" she bellowed and the Black Moon Clan turned as one to face her. "Destroy them."

.

She slid the sword from her opponent's chest and with a loud thump, the last youma fell to the ground, lifeless. Uranus' shoulders heaved as she struggled for breath while she gazed down at her bloody Space Sword. The Senshi around her were no better, each suffering from an assortment of wounds, but thankfully were still in one piece.

"Is everyone all right?" Venus questioned.

"We're still standing," Neptune, answered wryly. "Are you okay Saturn?"

A bloody gash ran above the teenager's right eye, but she nodded. "It's not as bad as it looks."

"Let's get back to Usagi and the others." They followed Venus as she raced towards the center of the courtyard.

There were thwarted, however, as a group of dark silhouettes fell from the sky to bar their path. The full force of the Black Moon Clan stood before them with their nebulous crescents birthmarks frowning with disdain. Evil energy flowed off of them like fire and it was obvious they were far superior to the incarnations the Sailor Senshi had already defeated. Something was very wrong about this version of the future, but they couldn't dwell on it for too long.

"We will finish what we started millennia ago and destroy this empire from the inside out," spoke Demando. "No one ever saw it coming. Why would any Lunarian wish the destruction of our empire? But I saw the flaws in our system and wanted freedom and my chance for power. And now, I will get what I want." He looked passed the Senshi and at the ivory and gold princess beyond.

"You're not leaving this place alive," Jupiter promised.

"We'll see. Attack!" Demando hung back as his family descended like wolves themselves.

Powerless, Usagi watched as her dearest friends clashed with the ghosts of their past and future, each fighting to preserve the present. She was beginning to feel the weight of her wish and realized the huge mistake she had made might take all their lives. It seemed they were destined to fight the same old battles over and over again, and with each passing moment she feared they would not prevail this time. Usagi knew she had to do something to help turn the tide of this battle or else all would be lost, but she knew the power needed could not only destroy her, but the life growing inside. The former Senshi and princess banged a cuffed fist against the ground, frustrated tears forming in her eyes.

As tired as they were the Senshi held their own, fighting with all the courage and love they felt for this world. Uranus' sword clashed with Rubeus', their dance sending golden sparks into the air. Her tired feet did their best to be one move ahead, but the queen of the wind was slowly falling out of step. For now, each Senshi and their opponent appeared evenly matched which only seemed to aggravate Queen Beryl even more.

Demando felt her anger rising and knew a critical strike needed to be made. "Petz," he called to ivory skinned woman nearby. A dangerous dagger materialized in his hand made of bones, blood and something horribly unnamable and he flung it out to her. "Do something about this," he uttered, nodding toward his chosen victim for her.

She smiled ruthlessly, taking the weapon. "Of course."

As she disengaged from battling Jupiter, Demando threw a handful of piercing daggers at the green clad Senshi to distract her. Petz appeared suddenly behind Uranus as she fought with her fiery foe, and with a vengeance jammed the sharp weapon into the tall soldier's back. Sailor Uranus grunted, her own sword caught in mid swing as she processed the shock and pain. Without prejudice, Petz forcefully removed the sword from the Sailor Senshi and watched as blood splattered from the corner of the mighty soldier's mouth. Uranus' green eyes found blue ones on the battlefield and immediately a piercing scream racked through them all.

"Haruka!"

"Cut her down, Esmeraude!" The emerald haired seductress willingly carried out her prince's command, raising her fan high above her head. A pointed edge snapped from its base, and with all her might, she pushed it into Neptune's chest as the warrior of the waves raced by.

"No!" Usagi screamed, watching as two of her friends fell.

A righteous anger filled the remaining Senshi and they renewed their dying fervor. They struck out against their attackers with blind rage. Their past selves stirred within them, demanding vengeance. Their emotions gave them the strength they need to push on, but now freed from their single battles, Rubeus and Esmeraude became another frightening foe for a deadlocked Senshi. The soldiers of the Silver Millennium tried to regroup, but they could not hold back the tide.

Usagi watched as one by one, her friends were brutally cut down. As each fell a piece of her heart chipped away and she could not stop the agony from rushing out of her eyes. Against more than two hundred youma the Senshi had prevailed, but they could not fight against Metallia's true power alone.

"It's my fault, all of it. I'm responsible!" she cried.

Venus looked at her fallen comrades as life slowly drained from them. Her enemies circled around her like vultures, but she paid them no mind. She had only eyes for her fallen friends. She watched as Michiru and Haruka reached out their shaking hands to the unconscious form of Hotaru, their bodies wracked with sobs of grief and despair.

Makoto held her broken arm carefully, ignoring the red gash that seeped drops of ruby-red onto the cold ground beneath her broken body. Rei and Ami lay still on the pavement, their bodies twisted in unnatural positions.

She looked behind her at the huddled form of Usagi and at Mamoru, whose powerful golden fury was almost through the barrier. The wall bubbled and shifting and looked at any moment to pop. She was glad for that. Perhaps he would be able to reach Usagi and protect her.

'I'm the last thing between them. Be strong, Minako. If you must go out, take one of them with you!' As before, sparks flew as she pulled the legendary Stone Sword from its slumber. Only the lesser of Beryl's minions hesitated at seeing that weapon again, but the others were unmoved by her sudden strength. She faced her enemies, their faces and bodies grim with the blood of her friends.

"One guardian left," Rubeus counted.

"Give up now and we shall give you an easy death," Esmeraude said. "Maybe."

"There's no one to help you now," Calaveras sneered.

"You are wrong," said a strong voice.

Sailor Venus didn't need to look to recognize Kunzite's voice. He came to stand next to her, gently brushing her shoulder with his in an act of reassurance.

"We don't know you, but we have no qualms about taking your lives," Nephrite said.

"Let's show them what we've got," Jadeite growled as he twisted twin blades around his hands.

The three Shitennou and Sailor Venus lashed out, trying to keep their opponents in sight at all times. The Shitennou were fast and well trained and with Venus' powers pouring down once more, the battle still raged on. Kunzite and Venus stood back to back, one sweeping under while the other came from above. They were an effective team and Venus allowed herself a small smirk when she cut her blade across Koan's arm. Jadeite sent a powerful punch into Rubeus' face and the wounded man stumbling back, clutching a broken nose. Berthier and Esmeraude were pushed back as well, their garments cut and torn from the scuffle.

The rest of the Black Moon Clan fell away, hesitant at the sight of their own blood spilled. An angry scream split the sky in half as Beryl raged behind her wall. From this distance, Venus could see the red queen's eyes flash as she almost half buried her staff into the ground this time. The youma that appeared did not come for the remaining Senshi, however, but made their way to the unsuspecting prince.

"Kunzite!" Zoisite called as he fought off the first youma to appear.

"Go, you guys! Save Mamoru-san, rip down that barrier and get them both out of here!" Venus shouted.

Kunzite hesitated for just a moment, pausing to reach out and caress her hand, before he flew away with Nephrite and Jadeite close at his heels. When they were gone, she turned back to the traitors in the dark and ran towards her fate.

The Shitennou found it slightly more difficult without Senshi powers to defeat the band of six youma, but they were not without their own magic. Endymion had to pause in his attempts to bring down the wall to aid them, but they made quick work of the creatures. Their swords and daggers were slick with foul smelling blood.

"Let's get this thing down," Nephrite said as he began to slash at the invisible fortification.

"Minako!" they heard Usagi screech and turned to watch the end of the final Senshi.

Venus turned at Usagi's call and caught the sharpened staff through her abdomen. She cried out in surprise and pain, and with wide eyes stared into Beryl's smirking face. The witch appeared from behind her shield for the first time to enact her personal revenge. Venus' body jerked with the fear she felt inside, but she tried to not let it show. She would die strong and proud, a true warrior.

"I never forget," Beryl muttered as she ripped her staff from Venus' stomach. The world around the Princess of Venus became foggy, as sound and time seemed to blur together. She watched the world twist up, the dark sky looming before her in all its horrendous glory. Soon, she felt the cold pavement against her back, its chill quickly sweeping over her body. With whatever strength she had, she moved her head slightly and found his blue eyes in the abyss.

Silence fell over the battlefield as those remaining gazed at the carnage. Some delighted in its perverseness, while others stared at the defeated through blurry eyes. Usagi had seen her friends fall in battle before, but this time it was harder to envision things would be all right in the end. Hope had left this land, chased away by the angry darkness biting at its heels. This world was dying and she was useless to save it.

"Why are you doing this?" Usagi cried out as Beryl and her entourage approach her husband and his guard.

"It's what I was born to do."

"Metallia might have started out evil but you didn't, Beryl."

She stopped at this and looked at Usagi strangely. "What?"

"Long ago, you were a regular person like the rest of us. Mamoru is right. We can all be together again. Fight her, Beryl. You were always so strong. There has to be some good left in you somewhere!"

For a moment, Usagi and Mamoru held their breaths as the woman before them paused, a glare of confusion on her face. But the ground shook tremendously beneath their feet and junks of the disintegrated pavement shot up into the air, landing around them like angry meteors. Black smoke rose from the holes they left, curling around the hot and foul smelling air. When next they looked, Beryl's face was cold.

"I've been very rude, haven't I? Prince Endymion, why don't you help your wife off the ground?"

With a snap of Beryl's fingers, the fetters around Usagi's wrist fell away and the troublesome blockade flickered like a static screen before it disappeared altogether. The two destined lovers wasted no time in running towards each other, their arms outstretched. Only a few feet away, Endymion felt something ominous flash by him before a blinding red light scorched his eyes. He watched, horrified, as it engulfed his wife.

Usagi's whole body tensed up with the pain and any screams were throttled as her throat burned. There was no sound, no sight, but only the fire and electricity racing to get inside her. She could feel her bones smoldering beneath her skin and her life was quickly being destroyed in this torment with teeth. The powerful princess desperately reached out to the Ginzuishou and felt its power approaching as if from a great distance. Usagi fought through the darkness, holding onto her hope and the life struggling to exist within her womb.

'Chibi-Usa!' she cried out in her mind and soul. As oblivion came to claim them both, Usagi's soul folded in on itself and the tiny seed within. In the bleak aftermath, only a small spark remained.

What seemed like centuries to Usagi's mind was only a few excruciating and gruesome seconds to Endymion. Beryl's power hit his beloved with a titanic force and left a smoking ruin behind. The prince realized someone was screaming with a bloodcurdling ferocity, and didn't realize it was himself until he held his wife's limp form in his arms.

"Usa!" he cried, utterly undone. "No no no! She's not breathing!"

He tried to feel for a pulse, begging all his years of experience in the emergency room to calm his shaking hands, but his whole body was in torment. Lost, he cast a quick glance at the Shitennou but found no comfort there. In the short span of time, Beryl and the others had trapped the fighters in a glowing orb of purple and ebony power hovering off the ground. Endymion could see the pained eyes of Kunzite briefly before he was assimilated back into the dark.

"No," he moaned, turning back to his silent bride. "Please, Usako, wake up. You can't leave me."

He felt a cold hand land upon his shoulder and had not the strength to remove it. A warm breath full of the sweet decay of death tickled his neck. He wanted to unleash the full fury of the Kinzuishou and shred the foes that took his love away. He would rage and rage until oblivion came for him, but all he could find within himself were broken pieces that didn't seem to fit together anymore.

"She's gone, my prince," his forsaken Shitennou whispered in his ear. "You couldn't save her, but there are still those that need your protection. My powers are covering this world in an icy tomb and will suck all the world dry of life and energy. Join me, and I will let you save as many Terrans as you can from a long, cold death."

Beryl's hand lifted from his shoulder to gently caress his wet cheek. "After all, it is my one wish to rule by your side and we shall need a kingdom. There is nothing left for you here. Let me in, Endymion, and together we shall rule a brand new, dark world. Just close your eyes and welcome me with open arms."

With one last look at the perfect, innocent face beneath him, Prince Endymion of Earth shut his eyes and let the darkness swallow him whole.

__

**End Pandora Arc**


End file.
